Supreme Court to Rule on Legality of Local Anti-Homeless Laws

The Supreme Court will review lower-court rulings that make it difficult for cities in the western U.S. to prevent people from sleeping on the streets when there aren't enough beds in homeless shelters. The rulings, which found punishing people for sleeping on the streets when no alternative shelter is available to be "cruel and unusual punishment," have complicated efforts to clear tent encampments. Elected officials and advocates are divided on whether crackdowns or more housing is the solution to homelessness, and the Supreme Court's decision could have significant implications for how cities address homelessness across the country.