A global socio-economic problem concerns the unlawful occupation of public spaces. At a time when states are more inclined to adopt welfare-orientated, inclusive social policies, property rules continue to forbid the homeless from exercising those activities that should ideally be done in private. The City of Cape Town serves as an interesting case study to critically reflect on social policies and laws that regulate the use of public property when rough sleeping is not only excessive, but perhaps even normatively accepted. The article reflects on the social dilemma of an emerging conflict between property rules (specifically antisocial behavior laws) and what has become normatively conventional in the streets, sidewalks, and public parks of the City. Antisocial behavior laws are enforced irregularly as the homeless are informally pardoned therefrom; this can lead to civic hostility and more social violations. The regulatory framework pertaining to street people is also analyzed considering the constitutional directive to distribute land/dwellings. Property is inaccessible for the most destitute - the centrality of property is overlooked in the state's pursuit to not only provide access, but also enable the vulnerable to live dignified, self-sustaining lives. For the street population, the freedom to perform every-day acts is socially controlled by the property system to that of state forbearance, shaped by an indefinite norms-based understanding of where certain activities are considered reasonable. This is a unsustainable, inhumane practice that prejudices the entire community and the urban environment.

中文翻译：

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规范公共财产：无家可归者的账户

全球社会经济问题涉及非法占用公共空间。当各国更倾向于采取以福利为导向的包容性社会政策时，财产规则继续禁止无家可归者从事那些最好在私人场合进行的活动。开普敦市是一个有趣的案例研究，它批判性地反思了规范公共财产使用的社会政策和法律，因为露宿街头不仅过度，甚至可能被规范接受。本文反思了财产规则（特别是反社会行为法）与城市街道、人行道和公园中已成为规范的传统之间正在出现的冲突所带来的社会困境。反社会行为法的执行不规范，无家可归者得到非正式的赦免；这可能导致公民敌意和更多的社会侵犯行为。考虑到分配土地/住宅的宪法指令，还分析了与街头人士有关的监管框架。对于最贫困的人来说，财产是无法获得的——在国家不仅要提供机会，而且要让弱势群体过上有尊严、自给自足的生活的过程中，财产的核心地位被忽视了。对于街头人口来说，进行日常行为的自由受到财产制度和国家宽容的社会控制，这种自由是由对某些活动被认为合理的基于不确定规范的理解所形成的。这是一种不可持续、不人道的做法，损害了整个社区和城市环境。