Addressing Homelessness in Public Parks P A call for public education By Milo Neild, M.S., and Jeff Rose, Ph.D. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MILO NEILD ublic parks are designed to provide aesthetically pleasing green spaces where communities can gather for recreation, rest and leisure. Given that communities are not homogenous, user conflict between groups might seem inevitable. The growing concern with homelessness in parks serves as a strong and timely example of these conflicts. Park managers are tasked not only with mitigating social conflicts between traditionally housed park users and those facing homelessness, but also a variety of safety, health, experiential and environmental concerns related to homelessness in parks. 50 Parks & Recreation | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 9 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G