Liz Hersh’s Post

⚖ The Supreme Court is about to rule in the case of the City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, the first major case on homelessness to be heard by the Supreme Court since the 1980s. The case will determine the constitutionality of ticketing, fining, or arresting people for sleeping outdoors on public property, even if leaders have failed to produce enough affordable housing or shelter for everyone in the community who needs it. But let’s be real: even a favorable ruling will not bring us any closer to ending homelessness in this country. It will, however, make clear the responsibility of elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels to produce sufficient permanent housing solutions and shelter accommodations for every person in their communities who needs them. For that, we need significant investments in evidence-based solutions to homelessness – like low barrier shelter; affordable housing; and services at the federal, state, and local levels. Before a decision comes out, read the latest from my colleague Marcy Thompson for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. #endhomelessness #housingfirst #scotus https://lnkd.in/ew6-VvnX

Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should It’s important to note that this case may prevent certain lawsuits. Still, it doesn’t force communities to take specific actions or actively engage in criminal punishment of unsheltered people. Instead, it makes it easier for communities to do that. Elected officials who insist on going down that path will quickly learn that it won’t change the realities of homelessness. Criminal penalties such as fines, tickets, and arrests make homelessness worse and cost communities much money that should otherwise be spent on housing, supportive services, and street outreach. With record numbers of people entering into homelessness systems for the first time (more than 18,000 people per week in 2023, according to new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] System Performance Measure data), we must remind leaders that what solves homelessness is housing, together with supportive services needed to help people stabilize in housing. And these are investments that benefit the entire community, not just folks who are experiencing homelessness. https://lnkd.in/e8VuttDB

Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should It’s important to note that this case may prevent certain lawsuits. Still, it doesn’t force communities to take specific actions or actively engage in criminal punishment of unsheltered people. Instead, it makes it easier for communities to do that. Elected officials who insist on going down that path will quickly learn that it won’t change the realities of homelessness. Criminal penalties such as fines, tickets, and arrests make homelessness worse and cost communities much money that should otherwise be spent on housing, supportive services, and street outreach. With record numbers of people entering into homelessness systems for the first time (more than 18,000 people per week in 2023, according to new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] System Performance Measure data), we must remind leaders that what solves homelessness is housing, together with supportive services needed to help people stabilize in housing. And these are investments that benefit the entire community, not just folks who are experiencing homelessness. https://lnkd.in/e9_FqX5B

I'm paying close attention to this. Criminalizing things poor people have to do does nothing but compound the problem. The resources of religious organizations, social services, government, and law enforcement end up being focused on cleaning up the mess left behind by bad policies and laws. These policies are quick fix attempts to punish victims of systems for political expediency and they have caused such significant damage to our social infrastructures that we no longer can support the programs that would prevent people from getting stuck in these cycles in the first place. The screaming demands of the life and death situations these policies create drown out the capacity of nonprofits to whisper well-placed words of redirection and transformative support.

Criminalization makes it harder for people to exit homelessness. Instead, we need to invest in proven and humane solutions. Learn about best practices in responding to unsheltered homelessness: https://lnkd.in/g4R7xPhD #JohnsonVGrantsPass

Yesterday's #JohnsonVGrantsPass case discussed various questions related to criminalizing homelessness. However, it should push us to reflect on the resources & investments needed to truly support those living without homes. Read my article just published in the Connecticut Mirror- https://lnkd.in/ePrWx2bg

Last week, three major Supreme Court rulings were made that will DEFINITELY impact you: 🏘 Through its Grant's Pass decision, justices said that anyone can be punished for sleeping outside. Regardless of if shelters are full or if housing is too expensive in your neighborhood. Or worse, if they just want to kick you out of a public place for existing. 🤑 In the Snyder decision, justices deemed that bribes were not against the law. Political corruption will be harder to penalize. Or worse, industry interests and those with money can now reward politicians for policy that favors them. 🏛 With the Chevron decision, the Court removed the power that federal agencies have over their own regulations. This means important cross-cutting issues like public health, the environment, and workplace safety should receive outside judgement. Or worse, private interests will continue to dominate what should be public decisions. These decisions are appalling, anti-people and anti-common sense. They will result in worse health and more homelessness. They will make Climate Change worse. They will make any of the work that you're doing in the broad social good space, harder. FwdSlash is going to keep fighting for solutions that are grounded in compassion for everyone. Personally, now that these rulings are made, I think we should start by *bribing some politicians* to set rent limits, implement eviction moratoria, and increase access to behavioral health and primary care services. Regardless, we'll work towards addressing the needs of the historically oppressed, displaced or marginalized, not making their lives harder. Read more about our commitment in our latest blog post.

This is a great opinion piece. I can attest first hand that if you treat this like an emergency-which it is-and devote the necessary resources with an eye on a true continuum of care we can solve this.

I tend to think its hard to assign fault in such a complicated network of actors where local, regional, state, national and global forces collide to create a dire housing crisis and associated problems like rapidly rising rates of homelessness and displacement among older adults. I also think the blame game is less than productive. What is important is that we as a community in the County of Marin face such complicated problems by raising our hands and saying 'yes, we'll find a way' rather than engaging complexity as a reason not to take practical steps in the right direction. Prevention is the only path to stemming inflow into the homelessness response system and thus bringing a true end to homelessness. #prevention #agingequity #shallowsubsidies https://lnkd.in/gP3hwCHE

Under the Shadows of Prosperity: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the United States   Explore the impact of criminalizing homelessness in Denver, from legal challenges to societal implications and the push for compassionate policies. https://lnkd.in/gVYvwsHS