The rural city of Grants Pass in southern Oregon has become the unlikely face of the nation’s homelessness crisis as its case over anti-camping laws goes to the U.S.

The scenes were emblematic of the crisis gripping the small, Oregon mountain town of Grants Pass, where a fierce fight over park space has become a battleground for a much larger, national debate on homelessness that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

The town’s case, set to be heard April 22, has broad implications for how not only Grants Pass, but communities nationwide address homelessness, including whether they can fine or jail people for camping in public. It has made the town of 40,000 the unlikely face of the nation’s homelessness crisis, and further fueled the debate over how to deal with it.

“I certainly wish this wasn’t what my town was known for,” Mayor Sara Bristol told The Associated Press last month. “It’s not the reason why I became mayor. And yet it has dominated every single thing that I’ve done for the last 3 1/2 years.”

Officials across the political spectrum — from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in California, which has nearly 30% of the nation’s homeless population, to a group of 22 conservative-led states — have filed briefs in the case, saying lower court rulings have hamstrung their ability to deal with encampments.

  • GhostalmediaEnglish
    5•1 year ago

    I can’t speak for Oregon, but here in California the problem is that we have a LOT of beds that are not being used. And cities and states can’t force people into shelter and care if the area doesn’t have enough beds for everyone that is unhoused.

    The ask is to be able to shelter some people with the beds that are available. Right now CA is forced to wait until it could theoretically give every unhoused person a shelter bed at once.

    • @jkrtn@lemmy.ml
      3•1 year ago

      That’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard so I 100% believe the government would be stuck on exactly that.

    • Melkath
      2•1 year ago

      Is that some sort of misguided antidiscrimination law?

    • Kid_Thunder
      2•1 year ago

      Theft, overcrowding and assault are some reasons I’ve heard many homeless people say in CA as to the reason why they avoid shelters unless it becomes worse outside than inside.

    • @Maggoty@lemmy.world
      8•1 year ago

      If the shelters aren’t being used then maybe ask why they aren’t being used instead of trying to force people into them.

  • @some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    13•1 year ago

    With this lineup, the SC is going to make execution the punishment for not having gainful employment. Only half sarcastic.

  • @bradorsomething@ttrpg.network
    22•1 year ago

    We keep eroding the social support network and complain about the homeless problem.

    We keep changing the environment and complain about the new weather.

    This all ends… so well.

  • @uis@lemm.ee
    7•1 year ago

    You know, after Putin will be finally sent to Hauge(or die) Russia can solve its demographic problem(you know, hundreds of thousands people becoming fertilizer) by simply making flying to Russia free.

    Or that is just another stupid idea and we should focus on education, healthcare, pensions, welfare and public transport instead. This should be even easier and have bigger results.

  • @PoopDelivery@sh.itjust.works
    56•1 year ago

    It’s getting to the point that you can’t sleep anywhere legally unless you’re paying someone for the space you’re occupying. Most of the cities near me have destroyed the woods that homeless people lived in, forcing them to move and leaving behind a weird ass looking stand of trees.

    I used to work with homeless people and as much as being outside sucks, shelters can be worse. We had people in their 70s who went to shelters and slept on the floor, their heads almost touching their neighbors. They had their meds stolen and had to sleep on top of their belongings to keep them safe. A lot of people chose to sleep outside in the summer because they felt safer.

    • @mojo_raisin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      16•1 year ago

      It’s getting to the point that you can’t sleep anywhere legally unless you’re paying someone for the space you’re occupying.

      This is the point of enclosure and it’s been true for hundreds of years now. This is the concept the stole the planet from the people.

  • graycube
    23•1 year ago

    Fines will teach those people who have no money to get more money.

  • Cosmic Cleric
    8•1 year ago

    have filed briefs in the case, saying lower court rulings have hamstrung their ability to deal with encampments.

    Think it’s more about this, than actually collecting fines from homeless people that have no money.

  • UnfortunateShort
    9•1 year ago

    Yes, let’s waste money on fining people, who will tell you they have nothing, but it’s no problem, because you will get them sooner or later once you have their address… Oh.

    • @AA5B@lemmy.world
      1•1 year ago

      Fine them for having nothing, then jail them for not paying fines. Now you have an address for them. QED