• Supreme Court Thumbs Nose At Law Abiding People

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Case Finding City of Boise’s Enforcement of Public Camping and Sleeping Ordinances Unconstitutional

Wildomar Rap opinion time

I don't want to get all melodramatic here, but I don't see any other way to interpret this than the headline I chose. 

By declining to hear the arguments, SCOTUS is allowing a case known as Martin v. City of Boise to stand as is. 

That means no relief for municipalities trying to combat this pox that has attached itself at the hip of many communities throughout the boundaries of the Ninth Circuit Court.

Does my description sound extreme to you? 

No apologies if it does. My first concern is for the people that play by the rules... rules that are getting more difficult for everyday people as the years go by and Sacramento heaps more and more demands upon us.

There are many options offered to the chronic homeless to get of the street that are refused because they prefer the outdoor lifestyle... which comes with no demands (which means they can do all the drugs they want, when they want).

Recent photo shared on the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station Facebook page.

Wildomar Rap opinion time (part deux)

As much as I appreciate the stepped up local law enforcement when it comes to vagrants, and the blight that comes with "urban campers", when are we going to demand real change where the root of the problem is addressed?

This was my facebook comment on the post with the photo above.

Seriously, the status quo isn't good or fair to any of us, including the people sleeping outside.

Below is part of the release by League of California Cities

The Supreme Court’s decision leaves intact the ruling from the Ninth Circuit, which concluded that the city violated the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment when it enforced its public camping and sleeping ordinances against homeless individuals with no place else to go. 

Several local governments throughout the state and the nation filed friend-of-the-court briefs urging the Supreme Court to hear the case.  

The blight that comes with "homeless" people sleeping wherever they choose. This was taken in June of 2018, down in the gully to the west of  ARCO on Hidden Springs Road.

Many described the Ninth Circuit’s ruling as “unworkable” and urged the Supreme Court to provide further clarity so that cities can continue to develop and pursue creative and effective solutions to addressing homelessness in their communities. 

Advocating for and securing additional funding and resources to prevent homelessness and assist individuals experiencing homelessness is one of the League’s strategic priorities for 2020.  

The League will continue to work collaboratively with federal, state and local partners to advance this priority.  

In August 2019, the League City Attorneys Department hosted a webinar, “Strategies for Addressing Homelessness: Policies and Enforcement Issues,” which includes an analysis of the Boise case and what it means for cities. A recording of the webinar and materials can be found on the League website.

 Link to League of California Cities story

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