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"Street sweeps" : The municipal government-enforced confiscation of personal belongings among unstably housed people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada

Eren, Irem Mia; Sayre, Eric C.; Shane, Caitlin; P.O.W.E.R.; Singh Kelsall, Tyson; Beatrice, Molly; Sudds, Ryan; DeBeck, Kora; Milloy, M-J; Kerr, Thomas; Hayashi, Kanna

2025-10-07

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Objectives: Street sweeps, involving the state-enforced removal of makeshift residences and confiscation of personal belongings from people in public spaces, are a common tool employed by urban governments to address public health and safety concerns. Amidst the ongoing housing and toxic drug poisoning crises in Vancouver, Canada, the researchers sought to characterize experiences of confiscation of personal belongings by city workers among unstably-housed people who use drugs. Conclusion: Findings underscore that confiscation of belongings was relatively widespread among the cohort of people who use drugs and concentrated among individuals who are structurally marginalized, emphasizing the need to end street sweeps and prioritize development of dignified housing and harm reduction policies involving affected communities in decision-making.