Looks Like Paris Is Giving San Francisco A Run For Its Money

The Paris of people’s imagination – a city of lights, love, and luxury labels – is an illusion. The reality, at times unbearable for visitors, is a large, often ugly, city with problems – litter, vermin, pollution – like any other. But no issue is more pressing than homelessness. To try to understand what’s going on, let’s consider statistics, public attitudes, government strategies, and the photography of the capital’s homeless residents.

The greater Paris region alone accounts for 44% of homeless people. 38% of the homeless are women. The majority of homeless people live alone (62% are single and childless). 55% were born outside France.

Paris is preparing to clear its streets as it prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games and this means getting rid of its homeless. The French government has proposed relocating homeless individuals from the capital, a decision that has drawn criticism from several mayors of neighboring towns and villages who are expected to accommodate them.