New Mexico Bookstore Fights Homeless Encampment - Trump Looms
Source: slate.com
- A Las Cruces, New Mexico bookstore owner battles a growing homeless encampment outside his store that's hurting business.
- The 150-person camp has led to thefts, vandalism, and safety fears, prompting the owner to spend $50,000 on security.
- Trump-era policies could shift federal funding, potentially worsening or resolving local homeless crises like this one.
A small bookstore in Las Cruces, New Mexico, faces daily chaos from a massive homeless encampment that's turned its sidewalk into a drug den and trash heap. Owner Kelly Loving has tried everything from police calls to private security, but city inaction leaves him stuck. The piece digs into how local policies fuel the mess and speculates that Trump's return might redirect billions in federal homeless aid, either clearing camps or sparking backlash. Readers care because these gritty street fights