In the months leading up to the 2024 election, we are seeing a significant increase in the criminalization of homelessness at the state and federal levels and a villianization of the efforts to guarantee housing as a human right. In June of this year, The Supreme Court ruled that cities can ban people from sleeping and camping in public places, opening the door for sweeps and other moves that ultimately criminalize our homeless neighbors.

California quickly entered this open door, with Governor Newsome signing an executive order to remove homeless encampments from public property, drawing concern from providers over the reasoning that moving people from one place to another – especially in a state with some of the most expensive housing – will not get to the root causes of this intersectional issue. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a coordinated systems approach is needed and “requires using local data to inform decisions about how to most effectively allocate resources, services, and programs to best address the needs of those experiencing homelessness in the community”. Criminalization does not work.

Project FREEDOM believes that we need to increase adequate and affordable housing in this country, and to work to put forth policy solutions that will deliver this. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities provides solutions such as reducing the shortage of deeply affordable rental housing, improving the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, removing barriers to homeownership, investing in tribal communities’ housing needs, and more.

The amount of homeless families and individuals will continue to increase in a society where rents and the overall cost of living are rapidly increasing as well. Criminalization and lack of affordable housing are not the answers for policy failures.