National Homelessness Law Center

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. Read our full statement: https://lnkd.in/eFy7GFuu

"1 in 4 Americans worry about becoming homeless. We are far closer to being homeless than we ever are to being part of the billionaire elite that run this country and can influence this court." William Knight, NHLC Decriminalization Director joined Barbara Arnwine on Igniting Change to discuss #JohnsonVGrantsPass and the recent inhumane ruling to criminalize homelessness. Listen here: https://loom.ly/CGTqMh8

In their article for the Indiana Health Law Review, Siya H., a Staff Attorney with the Law Center, and Carlton Martin, the Law Center's former Pro Bono Director, explore the criminalization of homeless individuals with mental health disabilities, considering the intersection of race, poverty, and housing as health factors. They review key judicial decisions, such as Martin v. Boise and Johnson v. City of Grants Pass, highlighting their impact on homeless rights over the past five years and critiquing the limitations of the Equal Protection Clause in addressing these issues. The history of #homelessnesscriminalization is examined, particularly focusing on #mentalhealth and involuntary civil commitments, with an analysis of New York City's involuntary mental health directive and California's #CAREAct. The article critiques the role of law enforcement and judicial authorities in these processes, referencing advocacy before the United Nations to underscore violations of civil and political rights. Finally, it discusses justice beyond the judicial and legislative systems, proposing humane, anti-policing housing solutions grounded in poverty abolitionist frameworks and international #humanrights principles. Read the article below ⬇️

The National Homelessness Law Center is excited to celebrate our incredible pro bono partner Microsoft! Microsoft’s partnership through the Homelessness Action Legal Team (HALT) has allowed the Law Center to better analyze the threats faced by unhoused Americans living in their vehicles, combat the Not-In-My-Backyard (“NIMBY”) mindset that promotes the criminalization of homeless and prevents permanent solutions, and assisted with research around our fair housing work. Microsoft was a gracious host of our annual Human Right to Housing Awards and Justice for Youth Summit is 2023. We are excited to be hosting our Human Right to Housing Awards at Microsoft again this year on Monday November 18th. Thank you to the entire Microsoft team for your leadership!

SAVE THE DATE to join the Law Center at this year's Human Right to Housing Awards and celebrate the advocates and changemakers helping create a world where everyone has a safe place to call home! Look out for more info and become a sponsor today on our website.

This week the Law Center is proud to celebrate our dedicated pro bono partner and valued HALT member, Kirkland & Ellis! Kirkland’s team has been a member of the Homelessness Action Legal Team (HALT) since 2018 and has significantly helped advance the Law Center’s work protecting the rights of the unhoused community. Kirkland has provided legal research around permitting for unhoused people living in vehicles, challenged cities’ reliance on health codes to dispel unhoused community members from public land, updated our litigation manual and state index on youth homelessness, supported efforts to preserve the Martin v. Boise doctrine that protects against cruel and unusual punishment, and so much more! We are incredibly grateful for the support of Kirkland & Ellis and are proud to do this important work in collaboration with the entire team.  

Thank you to everyone who joined us for yesterday's #JohnsonVGrantsPass Mass Organizing Call. The recording is now available to watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eWqCiCMr

TODAY at 1 PM EST: Join us for a mass organizing call in the wake of #JohnsonVGrantsPass. Rep. Maxwell Frost will also be joining us! Register: bit.ly/grantspasswebinar

Yesterday's inhumane ruling in #JohnsonVGrantsPass has been disappointing to say the least, but we must move forward. On Monday, July 1st, join a panel of experts for a discussion of the ruling, impacts on homelessness, and next steps in the housing justice movement. Thousands of advocates have been rallying around this case for months, and now is the time to tap into the collective power we've shared. #HousingNotHandcuffs Panelists: Antonia Fasanelli, Law Center Executive Director Jesse Rabinowitz, Law Center Campaign and Communications Director Will Knight, Law Center Decriminalization Director Helen Cruz, Grants Pass resident and homelessness advocate Ann Oliva, National Alliance to End Homelessness CEO Register here: bit.ly/grantspasswebinar

800 people die every day due to poverty. That’s a result of elected leaders not addressing the people's needs. On June 29th, the Poor People's Campaign is gathering in our nation's capital to kick off four months of outreach to the over 30% of the electorate who are poor and low wealth. Join Rev. Barber, Poor People's Campaign, Repairers of the Breach, and Kairos Center for the #MoralMarchOnWashington D.C. and to the polls! We demand fair and equitable policies that ensure everyone can thrive! RSVP: https://loom.ly/yg7osgk