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Record numbers in the US are homeless. Can cities fine them for sleeping in parks and on sidewalks?
The Associated Press ^ | April 20, 2024 | BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST

Posted on 04/20/2024 9:50:59 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The most significant case in decades on homelessness has reached the Supreme Court as record numbers of people in America are without a permanent place to live.

The justices on Monday will consider a challenge to rulings from a California-based appeals court that found punishing people for sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking amounts to unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment.

A political cross section of officials in the West and California, home to nearly one-third of the nation’s homeless population, argue those decisions have restricted them from “common sense” measures intended to keep homeless encampments from taking over public parks and sidewalks.

Advocacy groups say the decisions provide essential legal protections, especially with an increasing number of people forced to sleep outdoors as the cost of housing soars.

The case before the Supreme Court comes from Grants Pass, a small city nestled in the mountains of southern Oregon, where rents are rising and there is just one overnight shelter for adults. As a growing number of tents clustered its parks, the city banned camping and set $295 fines for people sleeping there.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely blocked the camping ban under its finding that it is unconstitutional to punish people for sleeping outside when there is not adequate shelter space. Grants Pass appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the ruling left it few good options.

“It really has made it impossible for cities to address growing encampments, and they’re unsafe, unhealthy and problematic for everyone, especially those who are experiencing homelessness,” said lawyer Theane Evangelis, who is representing Grants Pass.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: grantspass; homeless; housing; scotus
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1 posted on 04/20/2024 9:50:59 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This has got to be a joke. If they are homeless, what makes you think they have money to pay a fine? Or, if they don’t pay, what makes you think they can be found a week later to take them to jail?


2 posted on 04/20/2024 9:54:41 AM PDT by eastexsteve
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Talk of adding insult to injury!


3 posted on 04/20/2024 9:56:22 AM PDT by .30Carbine
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Just one case. It was a video of a man, about thirty years old, who had a wife who died. He was stuck with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

The day after her funeral he was told to leave his apartment.

He tried the homeless shelters but people in there were doing drugs and were dangerous.

So he lived in a tent because it was safer than the shelter.

If he worked a job on the books the creditors would take so much of his earnings he’d still be living in a tent.

There are many reasons people are homeless.


4 posted on 04/20/2024 9:57:15 AM PDT by packagingguy
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Only if they are legacy US citizens.

"Migrants" are exempt.

5 posted on 04/20/2024 9:58:03 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Plenty of resources for the illegal alien hoard


6 posted on 04/20/2024 9:59:29 AM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes.)
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To: packagingguy

There’s probably more to this story. It sounds very sad.

But who told him to leave the apartment , you don’t just get told to leave an apartment.


7 posted on 04/20/2024 10:01:48 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Were we really stupid enough to believe that if we offshored our manufacturing and technology, that this wouldn't be one of the results?

After reviewing some of the posts of the free traitors defending the trade deals that were being debated at the time, the answer is clearly yes.

8 posted on 04/20/2024 10:01:57 AM PDT by TwelveOfTwenty (Will whoever keeps asking if this country can get any more insane please stop?)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“when shelter space is lacking”

Plenty of empty towns in the West and MidWest and certainly the Rust Belt. Lotsa space in the South, towns that need rejuvenating.

Can always head there. Nebraska even has towns that will pay people to live there...if they improve the house and lot they’re on.

Nothern Nevada and Eastern Oregon are vast, empty spaces with mountains, water, minerals and even grass lands that can be used to live on.

There isn’t any right to live on the beach or in Beverly Hills. Grants Pass ain’t either, but it’s a pleasant town...or was. If you can’t afford to live there...move on. To someplace you can.


9 posted on 04/20/2024 10:03:50 AM PDT by Regulator (It's fraud, Jim)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Big, mostly unconstitutional government: “The Road to Serfdom.”

Kill the $3+ trillion unconstitutional portion of the federal government or it will kill you.


10 posted on 04/20/2024 10:04:31 AM PDT by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ (Jude 3) and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: eastexsteve

What do you consider a joke? That people are homeless? That this case is in court because cities are grappling with what to do about homelessness?


11 posted on 04/20/2024 10:04:47 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: .30Carbine

They are stupid elitist journalist who have never suffered one single day of their lives. They were actually born with a silver or a stainless steel spoon in their mouth. They’re not even taking into consideration the tens of millions that having invaded our nation that will soon find themselves in the streets too, this country has gone to the chit can. I hate and despise with a purple passion, the DC swamp and the backstabbing POS RINOS ….despise them! Unfortunately we too are stuck between a rock and a hard place…we have no choice, but reelect these POS backstabbing spineless weasels or else the Democrats are gonna pull the same chit game as soon as trump gets into office. What do you think the FISA without a warrant is all about. Mike Johnson screwed all the American citizens, especially his own base! But God will deal with him one way or the other when they come after us and pastors who are on the pulpit preaching about politics and our communist modern day nazi government! Remember the motto FBI, CIA and the DOJ motto, find me the man and I’ll find you the crime and we can easily put them behind bars!


12 posted on 04/20/2024 10:08:09 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The solution to record high homeless numbers in America is to throw open the borders and bring millions of illiterate, poor people into the country. That should fix the problem.


13 posted on 04/20/2024 10:08:14 AM PDT by Gnome1949
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To: TwelveOfTwenty

Add to that extreme environmental laws that forced mining, timber, refineries, power plants, etc to shut down and impossible to open new facilities. A healthy environment is good, but when carried to extremes, jobs disappear. And the loony left envirowackos are never satisfied — they just keep ratcheting the enviro laws further and further until nothing can be permitted,built or operated. That’s how they are effectively outlawing ICE vehicles now.


14 posted on 04/20/2024 10:09:21 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward SnowdenA)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

The landlord, all his money was going to hospital bills and he had a choice to pay medical bills or rent.

He didn’t have money for both.

Now nobody is getting paid.


15 posted on 04/20/2024 10:12:28 AM PDT by packagingguy
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I had a history professor who got one night in class to talking over 1930s in Louisiana (particularly covering Shreveport, Houma, and Baton Rouge). All of them reached a point with locals where camping or standing too long in city limits was forbidden, with some cop driving you to the outer limits of town and telling you to proceed on.


16 posted on 04/20/2024 10:12:41 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: eastexsteve

Homeless guy: So take this IOU with you to the Endicot Building, go to the 30th floor and show it to the receptionist where I have one of my hedge fund accounts.

“Yes, sir.”


17 posted on 04/20/2024 10:12:58 AM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

That’s cuz the illegal aliens didn’t bring their homes with them.


18 posted on 04/20/2024 10:17:35 AM PDT by Renkluaf
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I do believe the issue is whether doing so constitutes “cruel and unusual” punishment as stated in the 8th Amendment unless adequate shelter is provided by those places under the circuit court’s jurisdiction.

It is rather a stretch to believe it does apply in such situations.


19 posted on 04/20/2024 10:18:25 AM PDT by lastchance (Cognovit Dominus qui sunt eius.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Can cities fine them for sleeping in parks and on sidewalks?

Can they? They must ... that is, if a city wants to preserve any form of a function civil society. The evidence -- the experience -- is undeniably clear.

20 posted on 04/20/2024 10:19:40 AM PDT by glennaro (2024: The Year of The Reckoning, lest our Republic succumb to the "progressive" disease of the Left)
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