The US Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of laws banning homeless people from sleeping outside. This decision comes in the midst of a record 653,100 homeless individuals in the United States, with a case centered around Grants Pass, Oregon.
The ruling, split along ideological lines, stated that homelessness is not a protected status under the Eighth Amendment. Advocates argue that prohibiting camping when there are no alternatives amounts to cruel punishment.
With a lack of affordable housing and shelter beds, homelessness persists unresolved. The market-rate housing shortage adds to the crisis. Challenges for homeless individuals continue, prompting a national debate on homelessness policy.