LA County Supervisors to Review Local Implications of Supreme Court Homelessness Ruling

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will review the potential implications of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on homelessness enforcement during their regular meeting on Tuesday, July 30.

The Board plans to discuss the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, which allows cities to enforce anti-camping laws even when shelter space is limited. This review comes in response to a request made at the July 9, 2024 Board meeting. 

The agenda was published before Thursday’s executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom directing state agencies to urgently address homeless encampments on state property, while emphasizing humane treatment of those experiencing homelessness. Newsom urged local governments to take similar immediate action, referring to $3.3 billion in available grant funding for behavioral health services and housing support.

County officials will consider the recommendations and input from the Executive Committee on Regional Homelessness Alignment’s July 26 meeting.

A recommendation by Supervisors Hilda L. Solis and Lindsey P. Horvath, continued from the July 23 meeting, calls for a countywide strategy to address encampments in light of the Grants Pass ruling. The recommendation instructs the Executive Director of the Homeless Initiative to collaborate with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and the Sheriff’s Department on several actions.

Key points of the proposed strategy include:

• Affirming the County’s “Care First” approach to encampment resolution
• Clarifying that County jails will not hold people arrested for violating anti-camping ordinances
• Sharing County encampment resolution guidelines with cities and local partners
• Convening cities to minimize disparate impacts of the ruling across jurisdictions
• Expanding partnerships with cities to address encampments through shelter and resources
• Monitoring data on encampments in unincorporated areas of the County

The recommendation also calls for a report back to the Board in 120 days during a “Report on the County’s Implementation of the People Experiencing Homelessness Missions” homelessness emergency update on the outcomes and any recommendations for better addressing encampments and cross-jurisdictional coordination.

Los Angeles County faces ongoing challenges in addressing its homelessness crisis, which remains more than double the national average. This year, the County has committed more than $120 million to its Pathway Home program. The Grants Pass ruling provides local officials with more authority to implement and enforce policies regarding unsafe encampments but also raises concerns about potential shifts in homeless populations between jurisdictions.

Some cities are already responding to the ruling. For example, Palm Springs recently passed a sweeping new homeless enforcement ordinance granting police new powers to arrest people who build encampments or sleep in public areas.

California remains committed to addressing homelessness compassionately while providing necessary resources.

The Board meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration and televised the following day on KLCS.