The Supreme Court made a significant ruling on Friday, allowing cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outdoors, even in areas on the West Coast where shelter space is scarce. This decision, a 6-3 split along ideological lines, reversed a ruling by a San Francisco-based appeals court that considered outdoor sleeping bans as cruel and unusual punishment. Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, emphasized the complexity of homelessness and the need for varied public policy responses.
Opponents of the ban argued that it would criminalize homelessness and exacerbate the crisis. The case originated in Grants Pass, Oregon, where local ordinances fined people for sleeping outside after tents began crowding public parks. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled that such bans violate the Eighth Amendment in areas with insufficient shelter beds.
The ruling comes amidst a 12% rise in homelessness in the U.S. last year, reaching the highest reported level. With more than 650,000 homeless individuals, a lack of mental health and addiction resources, and the impact of soaring rents, the country faces a growing crisis.