Alternatives to Criminalization

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What can we do instead of Criminalize Unhoused folks?

So many of our local communities have turned to putative methods of addressing people experiencing the trauma of homelessness. In light of the United States Supreme Court’s supreme injustice in the Johnson vs. Grants Pass case, and amid growing criminalization, we have gathered the following sample alternatives for our local, state and federal governments to consider:

All Levels of Government

Municipal Level

  • Don’t criminalize people!
  • Divert resources from Police and Public Works to trash pickup and bathroom access.
  • TALK to unhoused folks – what do they need? Are they working with any organizations to get housed? How can you connect them to help?
  • Bay Area: Modelling what it will take to end homelessness: https://www.allhomeca.org/2024/06/25/what-it-will-take-modeling-solutions-to-homelessness-in-the-bay-area/
  • Allentown, PA Resolution Affirming the City of Allentown’s Commitment to Equitable Use of Public Spaces, Protection of Human Rights, and Compassionate Approaches to Addressing Homelessness

State Level

  • Are there Federal resources your state can be accessing?
  • Invest in proven solutions to homelessness, including housing and other services.
  • Be on the lookout for legislation that aims to hurt or displace people who are unhoused.
  • Prevent undue evictions (for example, the Illinois Community Safety through Stable Homes Act)
  • Protect rights of people who are unhoused with an Unhoused Bill of Rights, Shelter Standards, or other protections (New York Homeless Protection Act)

Federal Level

  • Robust investment in social housing! (Repair & preserve public housing)
  • Universal rental assistance for low-income households
  • National Housing Trust Fund
  • Eviction & homelessness prevention
  • Voluntary supportive & emergency response services
  • See the Bring America Home Now campaign’s 6 Pilar Policy Plan

 

 

Stories that Demand Change

Housing insecurity affects millions, and behind every number is a real person with a powerful story. Many individuals who have experienced homelessness, are currently unhoused, living in shelters, or struggling to afford rent have courageously shared their lived experiences.

As we ask: What causes homelessness? What helps people return to permanent housing? What works to ensure everyone can remain housed?—we must center the voices of those most impacted.

Every story is sacred. But retelling these stories can be re-traumatizing, which is why it’s essential for educators, service providers, and advocates to create safe, respectful spaces for people to share on their own terms. The only true path to ending homelessness lies in the expertise, leadership, and experiences of those who have lived it.

With so many harmful stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness, hearing directly from those impacted is a powerful way to break down stigma and build understanding. These stories remind us that homelessness is not an identity—it is a crisis that demands urgent, systemic change.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has shared their story so far. Your voices are helping shift the narrative, inspire action, and demand housing as a basic human right.

Read the stories below from NCH advocates with lived experience—and if you’d like to share your own, we welcome your voice.

Click to request a Speaker with Lived ExperienceClick to share your storySurvey: Share your experience with Immigration and HousingSurvey: Are you feeling the effect of Federal funding changes?

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Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order to forcibly remove people experiencing homelessness from state lands. This decision brings with it severe and predictable consequences, reflecting a grave injustice. The National Coalition for the Homeless is taking a stand against this inhumane action. We urge you to read our official statement to understand our position and the critical issues at stake.
 

NCH is profoundly disappointed and troubled by this decision. Addressing homelessness is a multifaceted challenge that demands both compassion and thoughtful care.

 
Donald H. Whitehead, Jr., Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, emphasizes:
 
“The way a society treats its most vulnerable reflects its core values, priorities, and dedication to social justice. Criminalizing homelessness comes with serious repercussions—leading to increased costs, more suffering, and potentially even loss of life. This decision undermines our collective responsibility and commitment to addressing this pressing issue with the compassion it demands.”
 
Criminalizing homelessness comes with serious repercussions—leading to increased costs, more suffering, and potentially even loss of life. This decision undermines our collective responsibility and commitment to addressing this pressing issue with the compassion it demands.
 
It is essential to approach the issue of homelessness with boundless empathy, compassion, and commitment to finding sustainable solutions that prioritize the dignity and rights of all individuals, which is crucial for survival.
 
Encampment raids and forced evictions are not viable solutions; they only exacerbate the dire circumstances of those experiencing homelessness, who have nowhere else to turn.
 
Resorting to raids is a short-sighted and expensive approach that only exacerbates homelessness and increases the number of individuals forced to live on California’s streets.
 
Instead, Governor Newsom should focus on long-term solutions that tackle the systemic causes of homelessness, such as the shortage of affordable housing, unemployment, mental health challenges, structural racism, and substance abuse.
 
Providing adequate shelter, supportive services, and resources will better support people experiencing homelessness in transitioning to stable housing and improving their overall well-being.
 
NCH and its partners with lived experience are profoundly disheartened by this decision. However, this moment in history will not go unnoticed. While deeply saddened, the advocacy movement views this action as a powerful catalyst for change.

These guides offer everything you need to organize your local event during National Solidarity Week.

Organizing Manual 

Congratulations on deciding to participate in the National Solidarity Week! We greatly appreciate your advocacy and commitment to helping bring awareness to homelessness.

This manual is an essential resource for ensuring a successful and impactful event. It provides comprehensive details and guidelines to help you understand the core of this campaign, equipping you with the necessary tools to make a difference. To access the manual, click the button below to download it.

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Fact Sheet

Learn more about how the Grants Pass verdict is impacting the homeless community with the National Solidarity Week Fact Sheet. To access the manual, click the button below to download it.

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Social Media Calendar

National Solidarity Week aims to drive meaningful change each day for maximum impact. If you’re participating, please refer to the calendar to help us synchronize our collective efforts and amplify our message.

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To use an image, click on the image to bring up the full-size, high-resolution version, then right-click and save the image to your computer.

To participate in the week-long Twitter storm, please use the graphics below to share with your network.

#NCHSolidarityWeek

Homeless Street Mortality

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Basic Facts on Homelessness

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Effects of Criminalizing Homelessness

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Effects of Living in Shelters

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If you are observing National Solidarity Week by organizing or participating in an event in your community, please take a moment to register now.

Registering your event helps us track active participation and demonstrate the strength of a national movement working to raise awareness about this powerful initiative. Your involvement fuels advocacy and fosters education on the detrimental impacts of the Grants Pass verdict, which criminalizes homelessness. Additionally, registration allows our organizing team to provide you with valuable resources and update

Washington, D.C. — In a profoundly disappointing ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court today decided that it is constitutional to arrest or fine homeless individuals for using survival items like blankets or pillows in public spaces when no alternative shelter is available.

“Arresting or fining people for trying to survive is expensive, counterproductive, and cruel,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, campaign and communications director at the National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC). “This inhumane ruling, which contradicts the values of nearly three-quarters of Americans, will make homelessness worse in Grants Pass and nationwide. Cities are now even more empowered to neglect proven housing-based solutions and to arrest or fine those with no choice but to sleep outdoors. While we are disappointed, we are not surprised that this Supreme Court ruled against the interests of our poorest neighbors.”

The Supreme Court decision has set a dangerous precedent, allowing cities to continue to criminalize homelessness instead of addressing the root causes of the issue. People experiencing homelessness should not be punished for their circumstances; all levels of the government have a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of society.

Donald H. Whitehead, Jr., executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless states, “How a society treats its most vulnerable members reflects its values, priorities, and commitment to social justice. Criminalization has consequences. This decision will result in higher costs, more suffering, and death. We are deeply saddened by the Supreme Court’s supreme injustice.”

In Justice Sotomayor’s dissent, the justice states that the ruling, “leaves the most vulnerable in our society with an impossible choice: Either stay awake or be arrested.” Further, Sotomayor says, “I remain hopeful that someday in the near future, this Court will play its role in safeguarding constitutional liberties for the most vulnerable among us. Because the Court today abdicates that role, I respectfully dissent.”

As the dissent states, the Court’s decision today ignores the need to protect people currently experiencing homelessness from harassment, violent attacks, or targeted enforcement of local ordinances.

Housing ends homelessness. The National Coalition for the Homeless, in partnership with the National Coalition for Housing Justice, calls on federal elected officials to invest significantly in housing now. For over 40 years, we have seen federal affordable housing programs decimated, and it is time to transform the trajectory of our housing policy.

As a down payment to ensure that everybody has safe, decent housing that they can afford, we call for:

  • Universal rental assistance for lowest-income households
  • Public housing repair and preservation
  • Full funding of the National Housing Trust Fund
  • Eviction and homelessness prevention
  • Voluntary supportive and emergency services

The long term investment in our communities and country requires a recognition that robust social housing will end homelessness.

Despite this Supreme Court ruling, we know that housing, not handcuffs, solves homelessness, and we will continue our work to ensure that everyone, regardless of race or background, has the housing they need to thrive.

The National Solidarity Week is a week of active solidarity. We encourage peaceful protest and awareness events. It goes beyond mere awareness, serving as a powerful movement that fuels advocacy and fosters education on the harmful impacts of the Grants Pass verdict, which criminalizes homelessness #NCHSolidarityWeek 

The Grants Pass decision has been a hard blow.

We need to rise and serve the people that will be impacted the most by this decision. This experience goes beyond raising awareness. It aims to help participants deeply understand the harsh realities that those experiencing homelessness face daily. By standing in solidarity and learning directly from those affected, we can drive substantial change.

Access Toolkit

National Solidarity Week is a week of active solidarity. It goes beyond mere awareness, serving as a powerful movement that fuels advocacy and fosters education on the harmful impacts of the Grants Pass verdict, which criminalizes homelessness #NCHSolidarityWeek 

Our advocacy will take various forms, such as Twitter storms, Instagram posts, and other social media content highlighting the ramifications of the Grants Pass decision, local criminalization statistics, and ordinances. Additionally, we encourage direct, hands-on service, like distributing water, sunscreen, and hats to help individuals cope with the summer heat.

Join us in taking a stand, magnifying voices, and striving to create a society where everyone has a home. Together, we can make a significant impact.

Who Should Participate?

This event unequivocally welcomes everyone—advocates, individuals with first-hand experience of homelessness, and community members who care. It’s a powerful platform to disseminate information, exchange ideas with families, friends, and neighbors, thereby forging a united front against homelessness. It underscores our firm belief that we possess the resources needed to guarantee everyone a safe place to live–No one should go without housing.

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Use the NSW Social Media Calendar to enhance your digital advocacy efforts.

Media Attention

Organizing Toolkit

Organizing Toolkit

Want to help? Download our Organizing Toolkit to show your support during National Solidarity Week! These guides offer everything you need to organize your local event during National Solidarity Week.

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Take Part in the Letter Writing Campaign ?

We don’t have to ticket and fine people for being unhoused! Send a letter to your mayor suggesting ways to HELP, not HURT, our neighbors experiencing homelessness.