Washington cities can now penalize those sleeping outdoors, but will they?
The nation’s high court cleared the way Friday for cities and counties to outlaw sleeping outdoors in public places, igniting fear it will lead to more homelessness in Washington.
“It’s a very, very, very bad decision for people experiencing homelessness. This says they can be punished for the mere act of trying to survive without shelter,” said Michele Thomas, director of policy advocacy for the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.
“We’ll see how this plays out in Washington state. We are calling on lawmakers in cities and counties to not arrest or punish people, or issue fines,” she said. This decision,coupled with the looming potential of cuts to homeless services if current funding levels are not maintained, could lead to more people experiencing homelessness and that “would be devastating
But Camas City Councilmember Leslie Lewallen praised the court’s ruling in the so-called Grants Pass case as a win for local control.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/06/28/washington-cities-can-now-penalize-those-sleeping-outdoors-but-will-they/