Homelessness is on the rise
A severe lack of affordable housing is the cause
The number of people living unsheltered in the US has been steadily on the rise since 2017. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there were 653,104 homeless individuals in the US in 2023, a 12.1% increase from 2022.
Grants Pass, Oregon has criminalized homelessness by levying a fine of $295 for sleeping in public streets, alleyways, and parks while using a blanket or bedding. Repeat offenders can be criminally prosecuted for trespass, punishable by up to 30 days in jail. In response to these laws, a class action suit was brought against Grants Pass by the Oregon Law Center on behalf of Gloria Johnson and 600 other homeless individuals in Josephine County, Oregon.
On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled on Johnson v Grants Pass that people experiencing homelessness can be arrested and fined for sleeping outside even when there are no safe alternatives. Grants Pass, Oregon lacks any homeless shelters that satisfy HUD’s criteria.
In 2018, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees nine Western states, ruled that banning camping in areas lacking sufficient shelter beds amounts to cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment. The recent Supreme Court ruling overturns this decision.
