Cities That Cracked Down On Homelessness Get Hit With Legal Challenges

Many cities have cracked down on homelessness Due to their new restrictions, they have faced legal challenges.

New York City, Dallas, and other cities that tried to aggressively address their homeless problem — and the drug, crime, and public nuisance issues that accompany it — are now defending Their policies in court

In New York City, civil rights groups are attempting to block Mayor Eric Adams’ initiative to hospitalize homeless people who are severely mentally ill and appear to be a danger to themselves.

“If severe mental illness is causing someone to be unsheltered and a danger to themselves, we have a moral obligation to help them get the treatment and care they need,” Adams said He announced the plan.

In December, several civil rights groups asked A federal judge blocked the policy. He claimed it was unconstitutional, and in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

New York’s policy sometimes involves confiscating homeless people’s belongings as they are removed from public property and taken to a hospital. The city’s move comes amid concerns that the city’s homeless crisis is becoming more visible and spiraling out of control.

Dallas was also last month sued The October policy, which prohibits people from hanging out near road medians where homeless people often live, was criticized by the city. Officials from the city claimed that the policy was for public safety as people could be hit by passing cars. But, homeless people and their advocates sued the city to challenge the policy. They claimed it violates their First Amendment rights.

Albuquerque was sued Last month, homeless people and ACLU of New Mexico were praised for taking down homeless encampments. They also arrested and fined people who lived on the streets, violating their civil rights.

Phoenix was also similarly. sued last month by the ACLU of Arizona over sweeps of a huge homeless encampment downtown.

“Rather than confront its housing crisis head-on and invest in sustainable solutions to homelessness, the City is terrorizing the very people it should be helping,” The complaint says.

In San Francisco, which has one of the nation’s worst homeless and drug crises, homeless people and their advocates sued the city for fining and arresting homeless people as a way to get them out of public spaces. They also complained that the city throws out homeless people’s tents and other belongings without enough warning.

Recently, the Ninth Circuit federal appeals court has limited what some West Coast cities with severe homeless crises can do to address the problem if they can’t offer appropriate shelter.

“It is a serious, serious, problem, probably the biggest crisis we’re facing right now, and I think these decisions are at the heart of what has gone wrong here,” attorney TheaneEvangelis, defended an Oregon city’s homeless policy in the 9th Circuit, told The Wall Street Journal.

“They’ve caused paralysis at a time when we need action,” Evangelis said.

San Francisco was temporarily prohibited by a federal judge from taking any actions to address the homeless problem, citing Ninth Circuit rulings.

Back in 2021, Austin was sued for not doing enough to address the city’s homeless problem. Austin businessmen and others sued The city was not required to enforce its ban on public property camping.