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The Top 20 Meanest Cities in the U.S.A.

Sarasota, Florida may have sparkling beaches and a sunny climate, but it's been branded the meanest city in the United States of America.

That's the word from the National Coalition for the Homeless, a national advocacy group, that has named the top 20 meanest U.S. cities based on how they treat the homeless who live within their city limits, as well as purported civil rights violations.

Sarasota was dubbed the meanest because it enacted a ban on sleeping outside overnight on public or private property, reports The Associated Press. Even after two similar no-camping rules were declared unconstitutional, a judge upheld the ordinance passed by city commissioners in August 2005. In its defense, Sarasota says the no-outside sleeping rule helps keep the homeless out of unsafe and unhealthy camps and in shelters instead. Police who arrest homeless people for sleeping outside have the option to take them to a shelter instead of jail. AP notes that 45 people were arrested in 2005 for violating the ordinance.

The top 20 meanest U.S. cities, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless:



Sarasota, Florida

Lawrence, Kansas

Little Rock, Arkansas

Atlanta, Georgia

Las Vegas, Nevada

Dallas, Texas

Houston, Texas

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Santa Monica, California

Flagstaff, Arizona

San Francisco, California

Chicago, Illinois

San Antonio, Texas

New York City, New York

Austin, Texas

Anchorage, Alaska

Phoenix, Arizona

Los Angeles, California

St. Louis, Missouri

Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaGenteel and polite Little Rock, Arkansas was branded the meanest city last year and moved down to No. 3 this year.

LC is near Sarasota isn't she??

coincidence??:wah:

basically the list says you should come to IOWA and see me or MINNESOTA and visit Nomad.

deffinately stay out of Texas.

Well, since they beat their homeless with baseball bats in Florida, I'd have to agree that they're pretty mean.

We just let ours freeze to death. It's much more humane.:rolleyes:

Glad to see Baltimore isn't on the list, sad to see L. A. there..................

i was surprised to see SanFran on the list.

And Anchorage, they would freeze to death in that cold!

Well we are loveable here in San Diego California, but just up the road heading north is MEAN OL LA.. Having spent my share of time in LA it is true mean ol town... angry people everyday. Just the flippin traffic would make you mean..:driving:

I was suprised to see San Francisco on the list. I for one think its a great city and the people are friendly, at least the ones I have encountered.:-3

...

In New York City, we step over the homeless. Hoping a mean one doesnt grab your ankle, tripping you, and making you late for work, or injured. The contrast of seeing people laying under sheets of cardboard outside of Tiffanys, or FAO Schwartz, or Saks, really gives you food for thought as you go through the day.

I know we have a sort of similar list of the top 20 worst cities and towns in the UK to visit. Can't remember what number 1 was though.

It's the law of unintended consequences. If you're nice to homeless people, homeless people will flock to you. If you're "mean" to homeless people, they will find another place to call homeless.



People are homeless by choice, insanity, or lack of imagination. Give a man a fish, he'll tell his friends that you're giving fish away.

Clipper wrote: Hey Acc.....you folks end up with a lot of Katrina refugees in yer area?
Thousands. Not sure how many. I had the honor of volunteering with the Red Cross for awhile (First time with the Red Cross) helping out. We opened a couple of warehouses at the old Kelly Air Force Base. They found the last of them housing just before Christmas.