Catholic Charities among agencies awaiting Supreme Court decision on homelessness

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https://www.ncronline.org/news/catholic-charities-among-agencies-awaiting-supreme-court-decision-homelessness

How can services for the unhoused best support the growing number of elderly clients or those grappling with fentanyl addiction? Are there enough feminine hygiene products for the street outreach teams this month? Where will funding come from for the next affordable housing project?

These are some of the countless matters on the minds of staff at Catholic agencies serving homeless populations in cities across the country. But recently added to the mix of concerns is an upcoming decision from the U.S. Supreme Court.

On April 22 the court heard arguments in a case from Grants Pass, Oregon, a small city located in a valley of the Klamath Mountain Range and about an hour's drive from the California border.

A decision in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, expected by the end of June, will determine if cities can implement laws that punish people for sleeping outside when there are no shelter options. It could be the most significant ruling affecting homeless people in decades and may have broad repercussions nationwide — especially in West Coast cities, where escalating housing costs, a shortage of units and a confluence of other challenges have led to a mounting number of homeless individuals.