Confused about the latest homeless ruling:
The supreme court ruling states: that local governments can enforce anti-camping ordinances against homeless individuals, even when no alternative shelter is available. The Court held that such enforcement does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
This decision overturned the Ninth Circuit’s earlier ruling, which had prevented cities from penalizing homeless individuals for sleeping outdoors when adequate shelter was unavailable.
In the meantime: Oregon House Bill 3115 (HB 3115) was passed in 2021 to address homelessness and public space regulations. The law requires that local governments regulate “sitting, lying, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry” in public places in a manner that is “objectively reasonable” with respect to time, place, and manner.
Bottom line: Supreme Court ruling brought it back to the “states”. Oregon state has its own law, HB3115 in which we have to follow.
Oddly enough: Cottage Grove: had two 7/24 camps – they closed them down and have only one camp open from 7PM to 7AM. Cottage Grove did exactly what we did yet they haven’t been sued.
Opinion: Judge Brandon Thueson ruled to have our entire city opened to every single homeless person to sleep anywhere they wanted (except streets and sidewalks) that ruling was a slap to every taxpaying citizen in the community, a direct insult to our community. Currently, Judge Brandon Thueson ruling is temporary but the damage is already done to our community and who knows for how long this will go on.
The decision by Judge Brandon Thueson was wrong. The judge did not have to rule this way. Judge Brandon Thueson could have ruled to allow the disabled to stay in the camp 7/24 and/or have J street camp reopened or had only the disabled allowed to sleep in the parks. Instead Judge Brandon Thuesonm ruling was a direct insult to every law-abiding citizen in this community.