This past weekend, Tent City 4, an organized community of homeless people who set up "villages" of tents on donated space for a short period of time, moved into its new digs at Redmond's St. Jude Catholic Church amid a political and legal battle that may leave the church with up to $37,000 in fines. Some segment of the surrounding community is pushing local politicians to deny permits for the encampment, complaining that the group will be a safety risk, particularly toward three nearby schools.

This "not in my neighborhood" message is akin to the tone surrounding halfway houses for sex offenders: These important community efforts are being sidetracked and demonized by some arrogant and self-absorbed residents. Yes, it is a shame these places have to exist, but it is our duty as a society to work together to solve our ills, and part of this will involve sacrifice.

The homeless have a bad rap, and this is not entirely unfair. Yes, there are extreme amounts of drug and alcohol use on the streets, and there are people who abuse the system and take advantage of resources and the generosity of strangers. But the Tent City communities are one of the very solutions to these problems and should be supported and embraced.

The structure of a Tent City provides for a democratic selection of residents who are then bound by community rules, which include stringent restrictions on drug and alcohol use. Not to mention that all new residents go through a background check by the sheriff's office, a process that obviously isn't done with any of the other homeless people living in King County. This is a secure and regulated community that is far better than the alternative.

The people who live in Tent City are the homeless who are working hard to make their lives better, even in a relative way. The truly addicted and dangerous people are not going to be the same who devote their time and energies to making a community like this run smoothly. Getting like-minded and hardworking — though 'down on their luck' — people to work together to make life better for the group is a positive and respectable endeavor.

The individuals in the Microsoft-posh Redmond community who don't support the arrival of Tent City need to look at the alternatives: First, if they think that this community is a good idea but just should "not be in their neighborhood," they need to be aware of the arrogance this message carries. Secondly, if they would prefer to have these dozens of struggling people living on their own, outside of a supportive environment, and still in their neighborhood, they are shortsighted.

Tent Cities are respectable — yet obviously not perfect — communities that really do help the homeless. They demand sacrifice and hard work from all involved, including church and neighborhood residents. To deny the benefits of this operation and demonize it with claims to security is irresponsible. Let these people have a place to live.