What the SCOTUS Decision on Homeless Encampments Means For California

LOS ANGELES—In a highly anticipated ruling, the Supreme Court on June 28 held that cities can restrict homeless encampments on public property, overturning lower court rulings that found penalizing people for sleeping outside violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. For local governments, where homelessness has exploded in recent years, the ruling brought clarity after years of legal limbo, restoring local control over the delicate balance between protecting the rights of homeless people, and protecting public safety and health. But as government officials in California reacted, the scope of continued disagreement became clear, and the picture for California less so—where local ordinances are likely to be enforced differently....