Surge in Homelessness Arrests and Citations Across California Cities Following Landmark Supreme Court Ruling

Homeless individuals in major Californian cities are increasingly facing legal repercussions for survival actions, as revealed in a groundbreaking CalMatters analysis. The report coincides with the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling, which changed California's approach to homelessness by enabling cities to enforce general camping prohibitions even in the absence of available shelter beds. Following the decision, reports indicated an uptick in enforcement actions. CalMatters meticulously compared arrest and citation data for homelessness-related offenses before and after the ruling and discovered notable increases across numerous cities, including San Francisco, where illegal lodging arrests surged 500%. In Sacramento, citations and arrests nearly tripled, while Stockton's homelessness-related citations also skyrocketed. Critics argue that increased enforcement often complicates recovery for unhoused individuals, making it harder for them to access vital services. Some legislators are countering this trend with proposals aimed at prioritizing housing solutions over punitive measures.