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More U.S. Cities Make It Illegal to Be Homeless

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A survey of 187 cities finds a startling rise in laws that criminally punish homeless people for engaging in necessary, life-sustaining activities in public, even when they have no other options. More cities are banning these activities in the entire community, effectively making it illegal to be homeless anywhere in the city.

A Plan to Establish Homeless Courts in Santa Cruz

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The time is right for a new holistic approach to justice that enables homeless people to lead fulfilling lives in their community. Whether it is in the name of social justice or criminal justice or restorative justice, the Homeless Court program will advance human justice for those in our city experiencing homelessness.

A Constitution-Free Zone on the U.S./Mexico Border

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Many constitutional rights are ignored in a zone within 100 miles of any U.S. border. In Arizona, the ACLU documented “unprovoked assaults and verbal abuse, the unwarranted use of handcuffs and shackles, extended and recurring detention, invasive searches, property destruction and confiscation, and denial of food, water and legal representation.”

Moratorium on Sleeping Ban Gains Support from ACLU in Santa Cruz

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Rough sleepers and homeless activists believe the camping ban is a bad law because it criminalizes public nighttime sleeping, a necessity to survive. Outdoor sleeping is banned everywhere in Santa Cruz. Housing NOW believes that because this law is part of a system used to criminalize homelessness, it is unconstitutional.

Creating Community on Skid Row in L.A.

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“We hang out here because we’re not allowed in the upskirts of downtown. Some of us aren’t permitted because of the way we look. People have a label on us. They see me as a person who eats out of a trashcan.” — Linda Harris, a cancer survivor who lives in Skid Row

His Heart Is Always with the People on the Street

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“I don’t want to be another paper shuffler sending people to go here and there. They get plenty of that already. If I’m to connect people to mental health services or housing, there needs to be some significant investment in that. That’s why I’m not going to give up the social justice thing.”

Homeless Advocates Are Targeted by Fresno Police

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Pastor Chris Breedlove and other homeless advocates have been publicly smeared by the Fresno Police Department. City officials have demolished every encampment in Fresno and destroyed tons of homeless people’s belongings. The policy of the Fresno Police Department is to refuse to allow any homeless encampments to re-emerge.

First Bay Area Transgender Shelter Aims to Open Doors

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Many transgender people in the Bay Area have been forced to live on the streets due to the harassment, abuse, and neglect they have encountered in shelters. Transgender women are specifically impacted by the lack of safe or affordable housing, while experiencing high rates of discrimination in employment and education.

The State of Homelessness in San Francisco

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Joe Wilson, program manager at Hospitality House, pointed out that public officials have chosen to disinvest in affordable housing for low-income people in favor of criminalizing them. “The largest developers of low-income housing are the California Department of Corrections and the U.S. Department of Justice,” he said.