California Cities Intensify Criminalization of Unhoused Residents

Months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cities can criminalize unhoused residents without providing alternate housing options, over two dozen California cities have “passed, strengthened, or are considering” ordinances that penalize people experiencing homelessness for sleeping in public places.

As Marisa Kendall explains in CALmatters, “Santa Monica is considering barring its homeless residents from using sleeping bags, San Joaquin County is poised to force unhoused people to move 300 feet every hour, and Fresno has made it illegal to camp anywhere at any time — even if no shelter is available.” In Palm Springs, a camping ban on sidewalks, parks, and public spaces won’t go into effect until the city finishes building a new shelter facility.

The policies come as no surprise to advocates who warned that the decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson would pave the way for more punitive laws that criminalize homelessness rather than address its root causes. “Without opening more shelters or affordable housing, breaking up homeless camps will do nothing but shuffle people from one spot to another. Activists say displacing people from encampments can sever their ties to case workers, medical clinics and other vital services.”