With homelessness on the rise, the Supreme Court will weigh bans on sleeping outdoors

Homeless advocates calling for budget amendment

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Homelessness in Rhode Island has been a challenge for many, and in recent years, advocates say its been on the rise. The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness plans to unveil an action plan Tuesday calling for a $30 million budget amendment to prevent further unsheltered homelessness in the state. The coalition said there's a 76% budget cut statewide homelessness services, which they say could eliminate approximate…

Supreme Court weighs outdoor sleeping bans

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court wrestled with major questions about the growing issue of homelessness Monday as it considered whether cities can ban people from sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking.

US Supreme Court Weighs Ban On Homeless People Sleeping Outside

The US Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on whether cities can ban homeless people from sleeping outside, as the country grapples with increasing rates of Americans living on the streets and a lack of shelter beds.

Editorial: The Supreme Court cannot allow homelessness to be a crime

Liberal and conservative justices seemed to grasp the cruelty and futility of fining or jailing people simply for sleeping outdoors when there aren't enough shelters.

The Supreme Court Wants Nothing to Do With Homelessness

The Supreme Court appeared to be split on Monday on whether an Oregon city’s ordinances that make it illegal to sleep outdoors in public spaces violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. While most of the justices seemed reluctant to “constitutionalize” local homelessness policies, there was plenty of hesitance about leaving homeless people with no legal recourse.In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, federal courts blocked …

A city in Oregon wants to punish wild camping with $295 – a measure aimed at homeless people. The case is now before the Supreme Court. It could have consequences for the whole country.