Downtown Women's Center’s Post

This is an important read.

BREAKING: In a historically shameful decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that homeless people are not included in the Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment. This ruling will make homelessness drastically worse and impact the 250,000+ people who sleep outside each night, as well as millions of Americans who are just one missed paycheck away from homelessness. Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, cruel, and simply does not work. We are enraged but unsurprised that the Supreme Court sided with out-of-touch billionaires and against the poorest among us. To truly solve homelessness, we demand the Biden administration and Congress invest at least $356 billion in transforming approaches to homelessness away from criminalization and towards proven solutions. Read from CLASP's very own Jesse Fairbanks and what they wrote on the topic this year: https://brnw.ch/21wL1yb #JohnsonVGrantsPass #HousingNotHandcuffs #SCOTUS

Today’s #SCOTUS 6-3 ruling in City of Grants Pass v. Oregon is a huge blow to survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Any efforts to end the crises of IPV and homelessness must recognize their connection. With domestic violence shelters frequently full and other emergency shelter options limited, it is not uncommon for survivors to choose a car or a public space over their home as the safest option in which to reside. This ruling sets a dangerous precedent that could criminalize survivors by shifting the responsibility of "fixing" homelessness to the police, a tactic that has consistently shown to have no effect in helping the unhoused. Unhoused people deserve compassion, respect, and dignity, none of which was shown by SCOTUS in this decision. We urge Virginians to work together on true solutions to homelessness in our communities, to have compassion for all people, and protect public spaces for everyone, including the most vulnerable amongst us. Read our full statement: https://bit.ly/3xLcUvB

BREAKING: In a historically shameful decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that homeless people are not included in the Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment. This ruling will make homelessness drastically worse and impact the 250,000+ people who sleep outside each night, as well as millions of Americans who are just one missed paycheck away from homelessness. #JohnsonVGrantsPass Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, cruel, and simply does not work. We are enraged but unsurprised that the Supreme Court sided with out-of-touch billionaires and against the poorest among us. To truly solve homelessness, we demand the Biden administration and Congress invest at least $356 billion in transforming approaches to homelessness away from criminalization and towards proven solutions.

NRCDV is disappointed and concerned by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week in Grants Pass v. Johnson. The Court’s decision to allow criminalization of homelessness will penalize victims of domestic violence for making the often life-saving decision to flee from a violent partner. We join our partner organizations in the gender-based violence and homelessness movements in their call to state and local governments: Do not criminalize survival. Uphold the rights of people who are unhoused, including survivors of domestic violence. Rather than arresting those in need, our focus needs to be on addressing the housing crisis and systemic barriers that lead to homelessness. View our full statement: https://ow.ly/HBf150StNsO Learn more about the current crisis of insufficient accessible, safe, and affordable housing options from the National Low Income Housing Coalition's recent report: https://ow.ly/logE50StOzH

BREAKING: In a historically shameful decision, the Supreme Court has ruled in #JohnsonVGrantsPass that homeless people are not included in the Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment. This ruling will make homelessness drastically worse and impact the 250,000+ people who sleep outside each night, as well as millions of Americans who are just one missed paycheck away from homelessness. Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, cruel, and simply does not work. We are enraged but unsurprised that the Supreme Court sided with out-of-touch billionaires and against the poorest among us. #HousingNotHandcuffs To truly solve homelessness, we demand the Biden administration and Congress invest at least $356 billion in transforming approaches to homelessness away from criminalization and towards proven housing-based solutions.

Take Action ‼️ On April 22, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in #JohnsonVGrantsPass, the most important case impacting homelessness of the past 40 years. The case will determine the critical issue of whether criminally punishing people for sleeping outdoors on public property when they have nowhere else to go violates the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishments. Housing is extremely limited for gender-based violence survivors, often forcing them to make impossible choices between sleeping outside or suffering continued violence. Criminalizing homelessness will only increase domestic violence survivors' risk of violence, trauma, and housing insecurity. Here's how you can get involved and tell the Court to support survivors: 1️⃣ Join NNEDV, partners, and allies in DC on Monday, April 22: https://lnkd.in/exQe8rxV Dr. Wendy B. Mahoney, NNEDV’s Interim President & CEO, will speak to the specific dangers survivors of violence face from abuse, lack of housing and shelter, and inhumane policies that criminalize and punish survival. 2️⃣ Spread the word about this case: https://lnkd.in/evQebZKP 3️⃣ Find other ways to get involved: https://lnkd.in/eDTuUVmn

In a historically shameful decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that homeless people are not included in the Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment. This ruling will make homelessness drastically worse and impact the 250,000+ people who sleep outside each night, as well as millions of Americans who are just one missed paycheck away from homelessness. Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, cruel, and simply does not work. We are enraged but unsurprised that the Supreme Court sided with out-of-touch billionaires and against the poorest among us. To truly solve homelessness, we demand the Biden administration and Congress invest at least $356 billion in transforming approaches to homelessness away from criminalization and towards proven solutions.

Housing is a human right!

The United States government was created to insure the general welfare. The development of large communities of homeless human beings in the middle of cities speaks to the level of civility in our society and clearly illustrates a breach of contact, as the terms of government service have not been satisfied. I don’t understand the logic of a fine. Who is writing these tickets? The government lacks the capacity to meet the needs of society. With power comes responsibility, I.e. duty and accountability. Will the fines and fees be used to create a solution or just serve to compound the issue? In September, the department of housing and urban development (HUD) awarded grants totaling $2 million dollars to Northern Arizona University and New York University to advance research efforts tackling homelessness. Is anyone else concerned about the quality of education and if it is producing leaders capable of problem solving for the country? The research studies are solution oriented. They are designed to study abnormal conditions and maladaptive coping behavior. Information has to be applied for research to be effective. We are not treating numerous varied symptoms. Treat the issue and the symptoms resolve themselves.