National Homelessness Law Center
Coverage of National Homelessness Law Center in the Nexus archive.
- A homeless man was charged with a felony for camping. He’s one of the first
Joseph Lamont Williams, a homeless man in Nashville, was arrested and charged with a felony for camping in a public park, making him one of the first in the U.S. to face such charges under Tennessee's no-camping law. Eleven states have enacted similar bans since the Supreme Court allowed cities to restrict public camping, sparking debate over enforcement and its impact on unhoused individuals.
- 2 years after Grants Pass, 14 states, 350 cities have tougher laws on street homelessness
Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, over 350 cities and 14 states have implemented stricter laws against street homelessness, including public camping bans, enforcement mandates, and legal measures allowing property owners to sue local governments. Louisiana and Indiana have introduced new criminal penalties for unauthorized camping, while Georgia and Oklahoma enacted Safe Neighborhood laws enabling property owners to seek compensation for non-enforcement.
- 2 years after SCOTUS decision, 14 states, 350 cities have tougher laws on street homelessness
Two years after the Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, 350 cities and 14 states have enacted stricter laws against street homelessness, including public camping bans and legal measures to enforce them. States like Louisiana, Indiana, Georgia, and Oklahoma have implemented laws criminalizing unauthorized camping or allowing property owners to sue local governments for non-enforcement.
- 2 years after Grants Pass, 14 states, 350 cities have tougher laws on street homelessness
Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, over 350 cities and 14 states have enacted stricter laws targeting street homelessness, including public camping bans, enforcement mandates, and legal measures allowing property owners to sue local governments for non-compliance. Examples include Louisiana's Homelessness Court and Georgia and Oklahoma's Safe Neighborhood laws, which enable lawsuits against local governments failing to enforce anti-camping rules.
- 2 years after Grants Pass, 14 states, 350 cities have tougher laws on street homelessness
Two years after the Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, 14 states and over 350 cities have implemented stricter laws against street homelessness, including public camping bans and enforcement mandates. States like Louisiana, Indiana, Georgia, and Oklahoma have introduced measures such as criminalizing unauthorized camping, establishing Homelessness Courts, and allowing property owners to sue local governments for non-enforcement.
- 2 years after Grants Pass, 14 states, 350 cities have tougher laws on street homelessness
Two years after the Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, 14 states and over 350 cities have enacted stricter laws against street homelessness, including public camping bans and enforcement mandates. Louisiana and Indiana introduced new measures, while Georgia and Oklahoma passed Safe Neighborhood laws allowing property owners to sue local governments for noncompliance. Federal data shows a slight decrease in homelessness nationwide but increases in 28 states.
- Homelessness is down in California and across the country, new federal report says
The federal report shows a 2.8% decrease in California's homeless population and a 3.3% nationwide drop in 2025, marking the first decline since 2016. The Trump administration attributes the decline to reduced immigration in sanctuary cities, while the National Homelessness Law Center credits former President Joe Biden's funding for housing initiatives. California and 18 other states are challenging the Trump administration's shift toward sobriety-based housing and temporary shelters.