Scott Billue, Founder and CEO of Matthew's Hope.
By Scott Billue, Founder and CEO of Matthew's Hope
In Summary:
Scott Billue believes that access to public restrooms is a basic human dignity issue that is often overlooked in discussions about homelessness. Rather than locking facilities and restricting access for everyone, he suggests communities focus enforcement on individuals who vandalize or misuse public spaces. The commentary also highlights the growing number of older adults experiencing homelessness and the need for compassionate, practical responses.
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There is a children's book called Everyone Poops. It may seem like an odd place to start a conversation about homelessness, but every time I hear someone complain about a homeless person using the bathroom behind a bush or in some other public place, that book comes to mind.
I understand the frustration.
I don't want people relieving themselves in public places any more than anyone else does. But after the complaint is made, I always find myself asking the same question: What's your answer? It's easy to point out a problem. It's much harder to offer a solution.
Related: Orange County strengthens community through mental health and homelessness programs.
One thing I am pretty sure every healthy person does nearly every day is use the restroom. It's a basic human function. Now imagine living outside in Central Florida. It's 100 degrees. The humidity feels like 100 percent. You have no home, no bathroom, no toilet paper, and many public restrooms are locked. What exactly are you supposed to do?
The reality is that the body will do what it needs to do.
And while the conversation often focuses on using the toilet, imagine the reality for a young woman living outdoors with no access to a restroom. Beyond the basic need to use a toilet, there are issues of privacy, dignity, and personal hygiene that many of us take for granted. Managing menstruation, washing hands, changing clothes, or simply cleaning up after a long day becomes a daily challenge when public restrooms are locked.
If we truly want cleaner parks and safer public spaces, we should start by recognizing that access to a restroom isn't a luxury—it's a basic human need.
Homelessness does not eliminate basic human needs. People still need food. They still need water. They still need a safe place to sleep. And yes, they still need access to a restroom. Yet one of the most common responses we see from communities is to lock public restrooms in parks and other public spaces.
To me, that's one of the most absurd things we do.
The argument is usually that facilities get vandalized, abused, or left in poor condition. Those concerns are real, and nobody wants taxpayer-funded facilities destroyed. But locking every restroom door punishes everyone because of the actions of a few.
Here's a novel idea: install cameras facing the restroom entrances, not inside the facilities. Check them regularly. If someone vandalizes property, creates damage, or commits a crime, identify them and hold them accountable. Focus enforcement on the people causing problems rather than on an entire population that simply needs a place to go.
As it stands now, park departments already send employees out every day to lock and unlock restroom doors. Why not invest in a system that provides both accountability and access?
Cameras could save money, reduce damage, and most importantly, preserve dignity. They would shift the focus to those causing problems rather than treating every homeless person as if they were the problem.
One final thought.
Did you know that 35% of all first-time homeless individuals we are now seeing at Matthew's Hope are Baby Boomers? These are people who worked, raised families, paid taxes, and never imagined they would find themselves without stable housing.
They need a restroom.
They deserve dignity.
And as a community, we should be able to provide both.
For more information on Matthew's Hope Ministries, go here.
Key Points:
- Homeless individuals face the same basic physical needs as everyone else, including access to restrooms.
- Locking public park restrooms often creates additional sanitation and public health challenges.
- Billue suggests using exterior cameras and targeted enforcement instead of restricting access for everyone.
- Access to restrooms is framed as both a public health issue and a matter of human dignity.
- Matthew's Hope reports that approximately 35% of the first-time homeless individuals it serves are Baby Boomers.
