Supreme Court Won’t Take Case on “Criminalization of Homelessness”

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Photo courtesy of Paul Boden

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to take up – and will thereby let stand – a ruling that if there aren’t enough shelter beds or housing for homeless people, governments can’t cite them for sleeping or camping in public. Paul Boden, director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, offers perspective on what the ruling means and how cities have a history of enacting laws prohibiting behaviors associated with homelessness.

“In California, looking at 82 communities, they found on average there are 11 laws on the books that can be applied directly at a homeless person who stops walking.” — Paul Boden

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