Now ask the same questions about homeless people living in tents down by the river.

That's a false equivalency; there is no imperative that laws must be broken to minimize homelessness.

Furthermore it's a false conclusion that the primary reason they are in tents by the river is because they couldn't find a cheap hostel. Maybe they are psychotic, or addicted, or don't like being around people. Maybe they would burn the hostel down or flood it trying to fight their psychoses.