The small city of Grants Pass, Oregon, is once again in the spotlight as it faces a new legal challenge regarding its homeless camping regulations. This follows a significant U.S. Supreme Court decision that enabled cities to impose camping bans on homeless individuals, even when adequate shelter isn't available.
On Thursday, Disability Rights Oregon filed a lawsuit against Grants Pass, claiming that the city's camping restrictions violate state law, which mandates that such regulations must be 'objectively reasonable.' The city has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
Located in southern Oregon, Grants Pass became a central figure in the national homelessness debate last June, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a prior ruling by a California appeals court. The previous ruling had deemed camping bans during a lack of available shelter as cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The Supreme Court's decision allowed Grants Pass and cities nationwide to implement ordinances that prohibit camping in public spaces like parks and sidewalks. This has been particularly contentious in Grants Pass, where homeless policy has long been a divisive issue, prompting a newly elected mayor and City Council to tighten restrictions further.
Grants Pass currently operates a single overnight shelter—the Gospel Rescue Mission. However, this facility's requirements, which include mandatory attendance at religious services and a ban on pets, alcohol, and smoking, have made it unsuitable for many homeless individuals. In response to the Supreme Court ruling, the City Council initially designated two locations for the town’s homeless population. Unfortunately, the recent decision to close one of these sites, which accommodated approximately 120 tents, has added pressure on the remaining space, which is only accessible from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
Disability Rights Oregon argues that these changes are aimed at making life intolerable for the homeless, effectively forcing them to leave Grants Pass. Their complaint highlights how, despite the presence of elderly and disabled individuals in the area, the city has intensified restrictions amidst harsh winter conditions.
The lawsuit names five homeless individuals with disabilities as plaintiffs, citing the hardships they face under current ordinances. Restrictions are said to disproportionately affect those with physical disabilities, such as difficulties in movement, by imposing conditions that are challenging, if not impossible, to meet.
The advocacy group contends that the city's rules discriminate against people with disabilities by mandating frequent relocations, which are unnecessarily burdensome for the affected individuals. They seek to prevent the city from enforcing these regulations, arguing that they are neither fair nor reasonable as per state law requirements.
The situation in Grants Pass echoes a broader national trend, where homelessness is on the rise, escalating by 18% last year. This surge is largely driven by a shortage of affordable housing, alongside natural disasters and increased migration, which are pushing more people onto the streets across various regions of the United States.
As this legal battle unfolds in Oregon, it serves as a critical example of the ongoing challenges faced by cities in balancing policy enforcement with the humane treatment of vulnerable populations struggling with homelessness.