12/20/2019

Supreme Court leaves cities with one option on homelessness: More housing

Los Angeles Times By BENJAMIN ORESKES DEC. 17, 2019 6:30 AM

For Los Angeles and dozens of other cities across the West, all struggling to deal with a growing number of people living on the streets, Monday made clear that the only solutions to homelessness are more housing and more services.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided against hearing an appeal of the landmark case City of Boise vs. Martin, letting stand a ruling that amounts to a broad curb on police powers in California and eight other states to stop people from sleeping on public property if no other shelter is available.

ocal governments had hoped the highest court in the land would clarify how to comply with the Boise ruling or carve out more authority for police to clear encampments. Instead, homeless advocates celebrated the justices’ decision as the death knell for local anti-camping laws that they say criminalize homelessness...click here to read more.