California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered state officials to dismantle homeless encampÂments across the state. The decision comes weeks after the Supreme Court issued a ruling that allows states to limit the rights of homeless people.
The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, focused on Grants Pass, Oregon, where the city fined homeless people for sleepÂing on public land. The SuÂpreme Court ruled in favor of Grants Pass, giving cities and states the green light to fine or arrest homeless people withÂout any obligation to address the underlying conditions that made them homeless. This rulÂing will exacerbate a crisis that city governments and residents are desperate to solve.
City governments tend to think of homelessness as a problem to be solved by law enÂforcement. A survey of mayors of the 100 largest U.S. cities found that it’s more common for police departments to influence homelessness policy than housÂing authorities or health agenÂcies.
Criminalizing homelessÂness doesn’t help solve it. It’s been tried over and over. CurÂrently, all but two states have anti-homeless laws. Some ban sleeping in public, while others prohibit loitering or sleeping in vehicles.
These laws aren’t working. Penalizing people who are sleepÂing outside because they have nowhere to go leaves them, still, with nowhere to go and worse off than before.
A 2024 survey found that afÂter cities cleared encampments or issued tickets, 76% of homeÂless people lost ID cards or birth certificates, while 83% of comÂmunity leaders surveyed said sweeps caused people to end up with criminal records. Lacking ID can make it difficult to acÂcess counseling or medical help, while criminal charges make it harder to get housing or a job.
Forcing homeless people into the criminal justice system is counterproductive, since homeÂlessness is often a result of poor re-entry infrastructure for the previously incarcerated. In CalÂifornia, more than 80% of unÂsheltered homeless people reÂport spending at least one night in jail over the last 6 months, and average 42 contacts with police each year.
Communities should focus on improving re-entry, rather than putting at-risk individuals back in the situations that helped make them homeless.
Making homelessness a crime also costs more than providÂing housing. One report found that counties in central Florida shelled out $31,065 per homeÂless person per year to arrest, incarcerate, or hospitalize them. That’s three times more than it would’ve cost to provide those individuals with supportÂive housing for the year.
Nationwide, homelessness increased 12% from 2022 to 2023, to the highest rate on reÂcord. Yet it isn’t increasing evÂerywhere. In some places, it’s declined nearly to eradication. These communities are tackling homelessness the right way.
In Sacramento County, ofÂficials work to collect data on every unsheltered person that includes their name, age, health problems, and history with homelessness. Keeping the data updated monthly will alÂlow the organizations involved to match people with housing and support services based on their needs and make sure no one falls through the cracks.
The approach is making a difÂference. According to the counÂty’s Point-in-Time count, there were 29% fewer people experiÂencing homelessness in 2024 compared to 2022.
To solve homelessness, we need to go further. Law enforceÂment can’t build houses. CitÂies need to roll back ineffective laws that turn our neighbors into criminals — and invest in housing and infrastructure that provides immediate and long-term support to people experiÂencing homelessness.
After the Supreme Court ruling, expect more officials to follow in Governor Newsom’s footsteps. Cities must avoid over-policing people who need support the most.
Tinisch Hollins is the executive diÂrector of Californians for Safety and Justice.