Homeless

Homeless Woman vs. Grants Pass: Supreme Court to Decide Landmark Case on Criminalizing Survival

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Portland, Oregon – Ed Johnson, a prominent lawyer and tour guide at the U.S. Supreme Court in the late 1980s, is set to return to the iconic building on April 22. However, this time he won’t be giving tours. Johnson, the director of litigation at the Oregon Law Center, will be involved in arguing “Grants Pass v. Johnson,” a significant case that could shape how cities address the issue of homelessness. In this case, Johnson will be representing Gloria Johnson, a homeless woman who alleges that the Grants Pass police attempted to force her out … Read more

Federal Judge Upholds First Amendment Rights, Rules in Favor of Oregon Church in Homeless Meal Service Case

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Brookings, Oregon – A federal judge has ruled in favor of a church in a First Amendment case, preventing a southern Oregon city from shutting down the church’s homeless meal service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke deemed an ordinance passed by the city of Brookings to be a violation of the religious freedom rights of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. The church has been providing meals to the homeless since 2009. The ordinance required a permit to serve free food in residential areas and limited the church’s meal services to only two days a week. In … Read more

Blind Man Wrongfully Evicted and Rendered Homeless Due to Lack of Reasonable Accommodation, Attorney Appeals Dismissal

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Wilmington, Delaware – A wrongful eviction case in Wilmington, Delaware has been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly, prompting an appeal from the plaintiff’s attorney, Thomas S. Neuberger. The plaintiff, William Murphy, who is 56 years old and in poor health, had moved to Maryland instead of returning to his Wilmington home. Neuberger argues that the judge failed to recognize the duty of local governments to provide “reasonable accommodations” to individuals with disabilities, including court constables carrying out evictions. Neuberger contends that the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that reasonable accommodations be made … Read more

Florida Enacts Law to Ban Homeless from Public Property, Sparks Controversy and Concerns of Forced Encampments

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Tampa, Florida – Stephanie Bennett has called a tent in the woods her home for the past eight years. Recently, she learned about a new law that could make living in her tent illegal. The legislation, known as “Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping” (HB 1365), has been sent to Governor Ron DeSantis to sign. If passed, the law will prohibit people from camping or sleeping on public property in local municipalities. Under the proposed law, municipalities will be required to designate a specific public space for camping and sleeping, provided they receive approval from … Read more