[originaltext]An increasing number of new laws across the United States make it

An increasing number of new laws across the United States make it a crime to be homeless. But these laws don’t actually manage to get people off the streets—they just perpetuate the cycle of homelessness, experts say.
These laws are particularly cruel considering people sitting or sleeping outdoors often have nowhere else to go. The US has seen a dramatic rise in tent cities over the past decade, in a response to a shortage of shelters, according to a new report from NLCPH.
Even those who manage to gain access to shelters often have to make difficult tradeoffs. Going to shelters often means being vulnerable to theft, and many shelters limit the items people can bring, which forces people who are homeless to discard belongings.
Shelters also typically shut their doors during the day, which means that people who are unhoused have to spend at least part of it on the streets— standing, sitting or lying down— and risk getting punished for it.
In recent years, some cities have tested the concept of “housing first” and have seen promising results. The concept encourages giving people a place to live first, then addressing employment and medical issues, rather than the other way around.
While numerous case studies have demonstrated that “housing first” works, Maria Foscarinis, founder and executive director of the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, says that misinformation and a wish for an immediate fix are preventing other cities from implementing such programs.
Perhaps the harder challenge is convincing lawmakers that investing in long-term, supportive services is worthwhile.
“These laws are a quick fix to a growing problem,” Foscarinis said. “It’s easier to pass a law that makes homelessness into a crime than to do something, take action— that requires more time.”
Questions 12 to 15 are based on the passage you have just heard.
12. What do experts say about the US laws making homelessness a crime?
13. What do we learn about the shelters?
14. Which of the following solutions to homelessness has seen promising results?
15. Why is it a harder challenge to convince lawmakers that investing in long-term services is worthwhile?