What’s the Solution For This Billings Walmart Parking Lot Phenomenon?

I saw a post about something that I wanted to share. And right up front, I'll tell you that I don't know the answer or have a solution.

It's concerning the homeless folks that have started camping out in the Walmart parking lots across Montana, specifically Billings as the post pointed out.

Wonder how long Walmart is going to continue to allow all the homeless people to live in their parking lot? Starting to look like the streets of Portland. It’s a shame Billings is turning into what it is.

- Jeremie M.

One side wants them chased off the property. the other side is more compassionate about the hand they've been dealt in life.

A few years ago our city council made it illegal for RV travelers to stay overnight at our Walmart parking lots as you can at any other Walmart in the country. So why are these people camped out there and why aren't the cops doing something about it?

Well, I'm told that a Walmart employee does come by occasionally and ask them to move on. But would you want that job? That's not what most people envision when they apply at the home of falling prices. Plus you have a safety issue.

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What about law enforcement? In addition to being short-staffed, staying overnight at Walmart is not the only criminal activity going on in our town. I'm told that they do make regular sweeps due to the drug activity.

But if the squatters are removed from there, where are they supposed to go? Do you want them to show up at the end of your driveway?

I don't know what our homeless population is, but I feel that it's up.

And I don't know how much of the money panhandled goes to buying food, but I don't personally believe that any of it does. So I don't ever give money to them.

So what's the solution? I don't know either.