In June, the Supreme Court ruled in the Johnson v. Grants Pass case that removing homeless encampments does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment, overturning previous injunctions that had prevented such actions. This ruling allows cities and local municipalities to remove homeless encampments without preconditions, a decision reinforced by Governor Newsom’s executive order on July 25. The order mandates the removal of all homeless encampments in California and threatens to withhold funding for homeless services from non-compliant municipalities.

This shift is seen as a major victory for cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, which have been struggling with large populations of unsheltered homeless individuals and the associated issues of drug use, mental illness, and lawlessness. The executive order, however, raises concerns about the high costs of providing housing, with estimates ranging from $500,000 to $1 million per unit. Critics argue that while the decision addresses immediate public safety concerns, it exposes the inefficacy of current harm reduction and decriminalisation strategies and underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach to homelessness that includes interim solutions and better oversight of nonprofit service providers.

Source: The Voice of San Francisco