The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. CitiesA Report by the National Law Center on Homelessness & PovertyNSA!"PLAC"NO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. CitiesAbo#t the National Law Center onHomelessness & PovertyThe National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty is $ommitte% to sol#tions that a%%ress the $a#ses of homelessness& not '#st the symptoms& an% wor(s to pla$e an% a%%ress homelessness in the lar)er $onte*t of poverty. To this en%& we employ three main strate)ies+ impa$t liti)ation& poli$y a%vo$a$y& an% p#bli$ e%#$ation. ,e are a persistent voi$e on behalf of homeless Ameri$ans& spea(in) e-e$tively to fe%eral& state& an% lo$al poli$y ma(ers. ,e also pro%#$e investi)ative reports an% provi%e le)al an% poli$y s#pport to lo$al or)anizations. !or more information abo#t the Law Center an% to a$$ess p#bli$ations s#$h as this report& please visit o#r website at www.nl$hp.or).Photography Credits Piotr Ci#$htanlchp.org 2NO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. CitiesPeter Ale*an%er Robb"miliano Spa%aLaw Center .oar% of /ire$tors0Edward McNicholas, ChairSi%ley A#stin LLPBruce Rosenblum, Vice-Chair The Carlyle 1ro#pKirsten Johnson-bey,Secretary Nei)hbor,or(sRobert C! Ryan, TreasurerPorts Ameri$aEric Bens"y S$h#lte& Roth & 2abelPeter #! Bresnan Simpson& Tha$her & .artlett LLPBruce CasinoSheppar% 3#llin Ri$hter & HamptonLLP$ennis $organ!#n%raisin) Cons#ltantMaria %oscarinis"*e$#tive /ire$torNLCHP%ather &le'ander Karloutsos 1ree( rtho%o* Ar$h%io$ese of Ameri$a(eorgia Ka)a"isCovin)ton & .#rlin) LLPPamela Malester 4$e for Civil Ri)hts& U.S. /ept. ofHealth an% H#man Servi$es 5retire%6*ashena Middleton MooreSe$on% Chan$es Home .#yers LLCMargaret P+ei,erS#llivan & Cromwell LLP(!-! Rolle3issio /ei Ch#r$h Erin .ermeusHarpo Pro%#$tionsJe,rey .imes 1oo%win Pro$ter LLP/asili"i *saganos U.S. /ept. of Transportation*Afliations for identifcation purposes only LA, C"NT"R STA!!$iane &ten/ire$tor of /evelopment an% Comm#ni$ations*ristia BaumanSenior Attorney0isa ColemanAttorneyJanelle %ernande)Law & Poli$y Pro)ram Asso$iateMaria %oscarinis"*e$#tive /ire$tor0a*issia Mitchell"*e$#tive an% A%ministrativeAssistantJeremy Rosen/ire$tor of A%vo$a$yEric *ars Senior Attorney nlchp.org 3NO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities0ouise -eissman/ire$tor of perationsA7N,L"/13"NTSThe Law Center than(s Tristia .a#man 5primary a#thor6& 8eremy Rosen& "ri$ Tars& 3aria !os$arinis& 8anelle !ernan%ez& Christian Robin& "#)ene Sowa& 3i$hael 3as(in& Cheryl Corteme)lia& an% Hannah Ni$holes for their $ontrib#tions to this report.Spe$ial than(s to the law 9rms 3anatt Phelps & Phillips LLP an% Latham & ,at(ins LLP for their pro bono s#pport an% assistan$e in $reatin) the Prohibite% Con%#$t Chart.,e are )ratef#l to the f#n%ers whose s#pport enables #s to $arry o#t o#r $riti$al wor(& in$l#%in) !or% !o#n%ation& .an( of Ameri$a !o#n%ation& /eer Cree( !o#n%ation& a(woo% !o#n%ation& The S#nrise :nitiative& an% ,.7. 7ello)) !o#n%ation.,e than( the ; members of o#r Lawyers "*e$#tive A%visory partners 5L"AP6 pro)ram for their )enero#s s#pport of o#r or)anization+ A(in 1#mp Stra#ss Ha#er & !el% LLP? Covin)ton & .#rlin) LLP? /e$hert LLP? /LA Piper? !rie%& !ran(& Harris& Shriver & 8a$obson LLP? Ho)an Lovells US LLP? 7atten 3#$hin Rosenman LLP? Latham & ,at(ins LLP? 3anatt& Phelps & Phillips& LLP? 3i$rosoft Corporation? S$h#lte Roth & 2abel LLP? Si%ley A#stin LLP? Simpson Tha$her & .artlett LLP? S#llivan & Cromwell LLP? an% ,ilmerHale.The Law Center wo#l% also li(e to than( 3e)an 1o%bey for the report %esi)n.The Law Center is solely responsible for the views e*presse% in this report.4 National La Center on Homelessness ! Po"ert#NO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. CitiesTA.L" ! CNT"NTS@ E$ECUT%&E SU''A()=; %NT(O*UCT%ON=;Homelessness is an n)oin) Crisis=>A La$( of A-or%able Ho#sin) Ca#ses Homelessness=>There Are !ewer Shelter .e%s Than Homeless People in 3any Ameri$an Cities=A THE C(%'%NAL%+AT%ON OF HO'ELESSNESS=ACriminalization Ca#ses Homeless People to S#-er=AThe Criminalization of Homelessness in :n$reasin)=B Campin) in P#bli$=C Sleepin) in P#bli$;< .e))in) in P#bli$;= Loiterin)& Loa9n)& an% Da)ran$y Laws;; Sittin) or Lyin) /own in P#bli$;;Livin) in Dehi$les;> !oo% Sharin);A Storin) Personal .elon)in)s in P#bli$;@ Criminalization Laws Diolate :nternational H#man Ri)hts LawE< C(%'%NAL%+AT%ON LA,S HA(' THE ENT%(E CO''UN%T)E< /is$har)e from 8ails>< /is$har)e from Hospitals>< States Sho#l% "na$t Homeless .ill of Ri)hts Le)islation>= :nternational "*amples of Constr#$tive Alternatives>= So#th Afri$a>; S$otlan%>E THE(E %S 'O(E TO -E *ONE>E!e%eral Responsibility to Combat the Criminalization of Homelessness>ERe$ommen%ations to the U.S. /epartment of Ho#sin) an% Urban /evelopment 5GHU/H6>ERe$ommen%ations to the U.S. /epartment of 8#sti$e 5G/8H6>ERe$ommen%ations to the U.S. :ntera)en$y Co#n$il on Homelessness 5GUS:CHH6>ERe$ommen%ations to the !e%eral Ho#sin) !inan$e A%ministration 5G!H!AH6>ERe$ommen%ations to the U.S. Con)ress>E Re$ommen%ations to State 1overnments>> Re$ommen%ations to Lo$al 1overnments>F CONCLUS%ON>A APPEN*%$>@ Prohibite% Con%#$t Chart"I"CUT:D" SU33ARJ%magine a orl. here it is illegalto sit .on. Co/l. #o/ s/r"i"e if thereere no place #o/ ere alloe. to fall asleep0 to store #o/r 1elongings0 orto stan. still2 For most of /s0 these scenarios seem /nrealistic to the pointof 1eing l/.icro/s. -/t0 for homeless people across America0 thesecirc/mstances are an or.inar# part of .ail# life.Homelessness $ontin#es to be a national $risis& a-e$tin) millions of people ea$h year& in$l#%in) a risin) n#mber of families. 6 National La Center on Homelessness ! Po"ert#NO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. CitiesHomeless people& li(e all people& m#st en)a)e in a$tivities s#$h as sleepin) or sittin) %own in or%er to s#rvive. Jet& in $omm#nities a$ross the nation& these harmless& #navoi%able behaviors are treate% as $riminal a$tivity #n%er laws that $riminalize homelessness.This report provi%es an overview of $riminalization meas#res in e-e$t a$ross the nation an% loo(s at tren%s in the $riminalization of homelessness& base% on an analysis of the laws in =B@ $ities that the Law Center has tra$(e% sin$e ; res#lt in an #n%erreportin) of the problem of homelessness./ata on homelessness from other so#r$es s#))ests that the problem is m#$h lar)er U parti$#larly amon) $hil%ren an% families. !amily homelessness has been on the rise sin$e the in$eption of the fore$los#re $risis in ;L %o not (now a pla$e o+ homeless people where it is .&%E C 0E(&0for them to sleep.e)innin) in September ; 53ass. =CC@6.26 National La Center on Homelessness ! Po"ert#:n$rease in .ans on .e))in)N#mber of U.S. Cities with .ans people ho are staying in their carsbecause they li$e in )racy, they ha$e #obsout here and they can(t a""ord a daily commute bac' to )racy* )hese are peopleho are contributing to your community ho deser$e something more humane*< =ames Han 0 homeless a."ocate0 regar.ing the Palo Alto 1an on sleeping in carsNO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Citiesattra$ts homeless people to the servi$e area& in$reasin) $rime an% ne)atively a-e$tin) the aestheti$ of a nei)hborhoo%.;@ f the $ities s#rveye% for this report& o#r resear$h reveals that+o CL of $ities have laws that $riminalize sharin) foo% with homeless people.These laws are sometimes premise% on the erroneo#s belief that homeless people have e*istin) a$$ess to foo% reso#r$es. However& this is not always the $ase. :n ;>The theories s#rro#n%in) foo% sharin) restri$tions are not s#pporte% by evi%en$e of the feare% harms. :n%ee%& they are not s#pporte% by $ommon sense. Restri$tin) a$$ess to safe& healthy foo% so#r$es by in%ivi%#als an% faithMbase% or)anizations will not provi%e an in$entive for a person to stop G$hoosin)H a life on the streets. :nstea%& it willfor$e h#n)ry people to sear$h for foo% in #nsanitary pla$es& s#$h as )arba)e $ans.E< 3ore than limitin) foo% availability to homeless people& foo% sharin) laws also e*pose in%ivi%#als or or)anizations& often faithMbase% or)anizations& to 9nes or $riminal liability for fee%in) poor an% h#n)ry persons. :n so %oin)& these laws may represent an #n$onstit#tional restraint on reli)io#s e*pression. :n i! Hart 4inistries v+ City of %allas& the Law Center& alon) with law 9rm A(in 1#mp Stra#ss Ha#er & !el% LLP& bro#)ht liti)ation on behalf of two reli)io#s ;C See The *mpact of &ood Stamp enefts on &amily Homelessness in.e/ 9or$ City& :nst. for Chil%ren& Poverty & Homelessness& http+OOwww.i$ph#sa.or)Oin%e*.asp[pa)e\=A&report\CE&p)\F; 5last visite% 8#n. ;>& ;6 5GNearly oneMthir% 5E A homeless GsweepH is a pra$ti$e %esi)ne% toremove homeless people an% their belon)in)s from a )iven area& often base% on the state% rationale that %oin) so is ne$essary to prote$t p#bli$ health. Sweeps often involve law enfor$ement o4$ials an% other )overnment employees& li(e sanitation wor(ers& who $lear o#t an area by throwin) away or %estroyin) all personal possessions in the area re)ar%less of the $on%ition or val#e of the property or the apparent $are with whi$h someone #se% to store the items. :n many $ases& homeless people are )iven nonoti$e that the sweep will o$$#r& an% they are)iven no opport#nity to prote$t their belon)in)s or retrieve them on$e the sweep has been $omplete%.EF The %estr#$tion of hi)hly val#able or very %i4$#lt to repla$e items& s#$h as birth EE Charlotte& N.C.& Charlotte Co%e& pt. ;& $h. =F& art. :& N =FM;A5;6& available at https+OOlibrary.m#ni$o%e.$omOHT3LO=CC@ See( e+!+& Cam Tran& City Plans on Homeless S/eeps > Times a ,ee$:Cleanups Cost the City ?>>@(@@@& 7:TD > Hawaii 58an. =< Human 2i!hts and Alternatives to Criminali3ation& U.S. :ntera)en$yCo#n$il on Homelessness&http+OO#si$h.)ovOiss#eOh#man ri)hts 5last visite% 8#n. =E& ;6? see also Amy Sawyer& Criminali3in! Homelessness is Costly( *neBective( and *nfrin!es onHuman 2i!hts& U.S. :ntera)en$y Co#n$il on Homelessness.lo) 5Apr. =F& ;6& http+OO#si$h.)ovOblo)O$riminalizin)homelessness.nlchp.org 35NO SAFE PLACE: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities;. #uman rights put people 8rst. 1oo% strate)ies start from #n%erstan%in) the #niX#e nee%s of in%ivi%#als& families& yo#th& an% Deterans. A h#man ri)hts approa$h (eeps people an% their nee%s at the forefront of o#r wor(.E. #omelessness has a human cost. Jes& en%in) homelessness is $ostMe-e$tive for the ta*payer 5%oin) nothin) $an a$t#ally $osts ta*payers more money6. .#t %ollars are not the only $ost of homelessness? h#mans e*perien$e homelessness at a horri9$ e*pense to the health an% wellMbein) of themselves an% their $omm#nities. ,hen we ma(e the $ase that safe an% stable ho#sin) is a h#man ri)ht& o#r $a#se is stren)thene%. ,e $an tap intothe passions& relationships& an% e*perien$es that $#t a$ross se$torsMMan% b#%)et sheetsMMto $reate new partnerships an% sol#tions.>= The #se of h#man ri)hts stan%ar%s in $o#rt have been most e-e$tive as pers#asive a#thority& parti$#larly as so#r$es of Gevolvin) stan%ar%s of %e$en$yHF@ in interpretin) the "i)hth Amen%ment& where there is a $lear an% $onsistent a4rmation of prin$iple& a$rossn#mero#s h#man ri)hts so#r$es.>; !or this >= Liz sborn& > 2easons to Address Homelessness as a Human 2i!hts*ssue& U.S. :ntera)en$y Co#n$il on Homelessness 5Apr. =>& ;6& http+OO#si$h.)ovOblo)OEMreasonsMtoMa%%ressMhomelessnessMasMah#manMri)htsMiss#e 5last visite% 8#n. =E& ;6. F@ Roper v. Simmons& F>E U.S. FF=& FB@ 5;@ A )rowin) bo%y ofresear$h $omparin) the $ost of homelessnessto the $ost of provi%in) ho#sin) to homeless people $onsistently shows that ho#sin)& rather than 'ailin)& homeless people is the m#$h more s#$$essf#l an% $ostMe-e$tive option. The Utah Ho#sin) an% Comm#nity /evelopment /ivision fo#n% that the ann#al $ost of emer)en$y room visits an% 'ail stays for an avera)e homeless person was >A Cities spen%& on avera)e& WB@ per %ay to 'ail a person& $ompare%with W;B per %ay to provi%e them with shelter. U.S. :ntera)en$yCo#n$il on Homelessness& penin) %oors+ !e%eral Strate)i$ Plan to Prevent an% "n% Homelessness =B 5;L. See id+FE*d+F> 1re)ory A. Shinn& The Cost of Lon)MTerm Homelessness inCentral !lori%a+ The C#rrent Crisis an% the "$onomi$ :mpa$t of Provi%in) S#stainable Ho#sin) Sol#tions =E 5;6& http+OOwww.impa$thomelessness.or)Oreso#r$esO%o$sOeisO"$oM:mpa$tReportML,MR"S.p%f? see also 7ate Santi$h& Cost of Homelessnessin Central &lorid; ?>0$ Per Person& rlan%o Sentinel 53ay ;=& ;6& http+OOarti$les.orlan%osentinel.$omO;M