MAP Forum

A Level 2 sex offender was arrested late Wednesday at the Transportation Depot for allegedly failing to update his information as an offender now staying in the city.

Richard Lee Towns, 73, who lists "city streets" as his address, was taken into custody shortly before 11 p.m. in the 100 block of Orange Street on a felony charge of failing to comply with sex offender registration and reporting requirements, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

A recently announced funding opportunity for homelessness programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would reward communities that commit to public safety—including those that comply with the Sex Offender Registry and Notification Act. At first glance, this may seem like an unusual concern for homelessness policy. But it relates directly to a growing concern among policymakers about a strong link between sex offenses and homelessness—one that activists have attempted to obscure.

Organizations like the National Homelessness Law Center have tried to dismiss the connection, claiming that homeless people are often classed as sex offenders merely because they don’t have access to bathrooms and wind up getting convicted of indecent exposure. Researchers at the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative have made similar claims, without citing any data.