by John Berry
Neither strict nor lenient laws will end homelessness. But a systematic and community-wide focus on homelessness-prevention measures just might.
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A homeless woman moves her belongings to the side of a freeway after being evicted from a location along a downtown street by police, in San Diego, Calif., February 26, 2024.
Mike Blake/Reuters
On April 22, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson — a case that aims to determine whether local governments can make it a crime for someone to live outside and unsheltered if they have no home.
Proponents argue that criminalizing public camping is a necessary measure for cities seeking to deal with unsafe and unsanitary homeless encampments. Opponents argue that criminalizing the involuntarily homeless only compounds injustice and inequality.
About the Author
John Berry is president of the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul — a 90,000-member faith-based volunteer organization that provides support to people in need at over 4,000 locations in the United States.
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On April 22, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson — a case that aims to determine whether local governments can make it a crime for someone to live outside and unsheltered if they have no home.
Proponents argue that criminalizing public camping is a necessary measure for cities seeking to deal with unsafe and unsanitary homeless encampments. Opponents argue that criminalizing the involuntarily homeless only compounds injustice and inequality.
About the Author
John Berry is president of the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul — a 90,000-member faith-based volunteer organization that provides support to people in need at over 4,000 locations in the United States.
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