The Law That’s Forcing People Onto The Streets (And How We Can Change It)

The rain wasn’t a gentle mist; it was a cold, relentless downpour that found its way through every gap in the cardboard and every worn seam of the tent. Sarah pulled her two children closer, trying to use her own body as a shield against the damp chill. Just six months ago, the sound of rain against the window of their small apartment was a comfort, a lullaby. Now, it was a threat.

The eviction notice had come like a thief in the night, though the landlord was well within his legal rights. The building was sold, the new owners wanted to “renovate and revitalize,” and the rent for the updated units would be nearly double. Sarah’s job as a home health aide, a job she loved for its purpose, simply couldn’t keep up. She scoured listings, filled out applications, and prayed fervently. But the barriers were like invisible walls: application fees she couldn’t afford to waste, credit checks that highlighted past medical debt, and the sheer, brutal math of it all—minimum wage versus average rent. The gap was a chasm, and her family had fallen into it.

Now, their world had shrunk to the size of this tent in a city-sanctioned encampment. Every day was a masterclass in survival, navigating a system that seemed designed to keep her out, not help her up. She felt invisible, a ghost in her own community, passing by people who averted their eyes. This wasn’t just a string of bad luck. It was a system—a set of laws, policies, and economic realities—that was actively forcing her, and thousands like her, onto the streets.

If your heart is breaking as you read this, you are not alone. And if you feel a righteous anger stirring within you, that is the heart of our Father. This is not merely a social issue; it is a profound spiritual crisis that strikes at the very core of who we are called to be as a people of covenant faith.

The Reality of the Crisis: More Than Just Numbers

We often hear statistics about homelessness, and it’s easy for them to become numbing. But behind every number is a neshamah, a soul, created b'tzelem Elohim—in the image of G-d. The crisis we see on our streets is the result of interlocking systemic failures:

· The Affordable Housing Drought: For decades, we have not built enough housing that is affordable to low-income and even middle-income families. The simple law of supply and demand has created a market where landlords can charge a premium, and tenants have little power.

· Discriminatory Practices: Laws that criminalize homelessness—banning sleeping in cars, sitting on sidewalks, or sharing food—punish people for their poverty instead of addressing its root causes. Furthermore, background checks can become lifelong sentences, barring anyone with a past mistake from ever finding stable housing.

· The Fragility of Finances: For so many families, like Sarah’s, they are one medical emergency, one car breakdown, or one missed paycheck away from catastrophe. Rising rents and stagnant wages create a precarious existence with no safety net.

This is the "law" in our title—not one single statute, but a web of legal, economic, and social regulations that functionally force people into destitution. It is a system that cries out for tikkun, for repair.

The Heart of G-d for the Homeless

From the Torah to the Gospels, the heart of our G-d is unequivocally clear: He is a defender of the vulnerable, a father to the fatherless, and a protector of the stranger.

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)

This isn’t a gentle suggestion; it’s a command to actively pursue justice (tzedek). To “correct oppression” implies that there are systems of oppression in place that need fixing. G-d’s call is for us to be His hands and feet in that holy work of correction.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

Yeshua’s powerful words reframe our entire perspective. He doesn’t say, “I was hungry and you felt bad for me.” He says you fed me. He intimately identifies with the suffering of the least of these. When we serve someone experiencing homelessness, we are not simply performing charity; we are encountering the divine. We are ministering to Messiah himself.

What Keeps People Trapped: Barriers to Stability

Understanding the problem is the first step to solving it. People like Sarah aren’t trapped because of a lack of willpower. They are trapped by design.

· The Barrier of Policy: Zoning laws that prohibit multi-family dwellings, cumbersome processes to build affordable units, and a lack of investment in permanent supportive housing all contribute to the shortage.

· The Barrier of Perception: The myth that homelessness is always the result of personal failure or addiction is pervasive and damaging. It allows us to dehumanize our neighbors and absolve ourselves of responsibility. While addiction and mental health are real factors, they are often exacerbated by, not the sole cause of, life on the streets.

· The Barrier of Past Mistakes: A justice system that rarely offers true restoration means a criminal record from years ago can forever block access to housing and employment, creating a permanent underclass.

As people of faith, we are called to see these barriers not as immovable facts of life, but as injustices that can and must be dismantled with wisdom, compassion, and perseverance.

How We Can Respond as Believers: Faith Embodied in Action

We are not helpless in the face of this giant. We serve the G-d who parts seas and raises the dead. Our faith empowers us to respond with compassion and strategic action.

1. Open the Eyes of Your Heart (Prayer)

Begin with prayer,but let it be a prayer that changes you. Pray for the Sarahs in your city. Pray for the landlords, the city council members, the policymakers. Pray for eyes to see the image of G-d in every person you pass on the street. Pray for wisdom to know how to help, not just with a handout, but with a hand up.

“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15-16)

Prayer is our foundation, but it must be the engine of action, not a substitute for it.

2. Extend Practical Chesed (Lovingkindness)

Chesedis G-d’s loyal, covenantal love, and we are to emulate it. Support local Messianic and faith-based ministries that provide meals, clothing, and job training. Volunteer at a shelter. Assemble “blessing bags” with socks, hygiene products, and gift cards to offer with a smile and a word of dignity. Meet an immediate need with the love of Messiah.

3. Become an Advocate for Tzedek (Justice)

This is where we address the"law." Charity addresses the symptoms; justice seeks to cure the disease.

· Educate Yourself: Learn about the specific housing policies in your city. Who is on your city council? What organizations are advocating for affordable housing?

· Use Your Voice: Show up at town halls. Write respectful, compelling letters to your representatives. Share credible information on social media to raise awareness within our community.

· Support Advocacy Groups: Partner with organizations, both Jewish and Christian, that are doing the on-the-ground work of systemic change. They need our voices, our time, and our financial support to be effective.

A Invitation to Join a Holy Kehillah (Community)

Friend, if this message has stirred something in you, please know that it is the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) moving. You are not being guilted; you are being invited. You are being called into a holy kehillah—a community—that is committed to living out the radical love and justice of our G-d.

This is our shared mission. We don’t have to do everything, but we can all do something.

Would you prayerfully consider joining us in this work?

· Through Prayer: Commit to praying for the homeless in your community and for wisdom for our leaders each day this week.

· Through Sharing: Share this article with your home group, your congregation, or a friend. Let’s break the silence and stigma together.

· Through Encouragement: Send a note of thanks to a local organization fighting this fight. Tell them the faith community sees them and supports them.

· Through Giving: If you are able, consider supporting a faith-based organization that provides both immediate relief and long-term advocacy for housing justice.

We serve a G-d who “executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The L-RD sets the prisoners free” (Psalm 146:7). He is already at work. This is our chance to join Him.

Together, fueled by faith and bound by covenant love, we can be a part of changing the law—and changing lives—for good.