Orlando, FL: As reported by The Washington Post, today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a ban on homeless camping does not violate Constitution. In a 6-3 ruling, the court said homelessness is not a status protected by the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, even when a community offers no access to indoor shelter for homeless people.
Below is Representative Anna V. Eskamani’s statement in response:
The U.S. Supreme Court has basically ruled that it is ok to punish poor people for being poor. This is a devastating ruling that ignores the reality of homelessness in America. We will continue to do what we can at a local and state level to push back against the criminalization of our fellow Americans who deserve evidence-based interventions, not incarceration. We will also advocate for additional dollars to be allocated toward both homelessness and long-term housing affordability projects.Â
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