The Issue: 

In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the U.S. Supreme Court held that it is not cruel and unusual to impose a fine on an unhoused person who is sleeping outside, even when they have no other place to go. Not only are the anti-camping and anti-sleeping ordinances at issue in Grants Pass unconscionable, but as Justice Sonia Sotomayor observed in her dissent, they leave the most vulnerable members of our community with an impossible choice: “stay awake or be arrested.”

But Grants Pass isn’t a mandate; it’s a choice. Cities can choose to criminalize homelessness by enforcing blanket bans on basic survival activities like sleeping, sitting or keeping warm and dry on public property, even when there are no alternatives, or they can respond to the crisis of homelessness with real solutions.                                                 

In Pennsylvania, elected officials must respond to Grants Pass with legislation that prevents municipalities from punishing people who are homeless for sleeping outside on public property when sleeping indoors is not an option. 

Join the Movement to End Homelessness:  

Project HOME has launched the Homelessness is NOT a Crime campaign to advance proven solutions to homelessness rooted in our common humanity, compassion and evidence-based practices. As cities around the country grapple with the criminalization of homelessness, we are calling on our local, state and federal elected officials to affirm the humanity of each and every member of our community and respond to the crisis of homelessness with robust investments in proven solutions—affordable housing, supportive services, renter protections, rental assistance and voluntary access to high quality healthcare. 

Join our movement. Visit notacrime.us to learn more about proven solutions to ending and preventing homelessness.  Sign our petition calling on elected officials and community leaders to advance the policies and solutions that we know work.  Follow along with Project HOME for opportunities to donate your time and resources to this vital cause. 

Sincerely, 

Project HOME