NNEDV Rejects the Grants Pass SCOTUS Ruling on Homelessness
June 28, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contacts:
Johanna Kichton, Press@NHLP.org
Coco Decker, CoCo@SVLawCenter.org
NNEDV Communications Team, Communications@NNEDV.org
Emma Ecker, Emma@FreedomNetworkUSA.org
Washington, DC – The National Housing Law Project, Sexual Violence Law Center, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence, and Freedom Network USA released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruling in City of Grants Pass, Ore. v. Johnson that allowed states and localities to punish people for being homelessness:
“Today, the Supreme Court chose cruelty and made it easier to jail or fine people for sleeping outside. Homelessness is already at record highs, and now it will get even worse. Gender-based violence is a cause and consequence of homelessness, and this ruling will further trap people who are homeless, including survivors, in cycles of poverty and housing insecurity. Handcuffs and fines will not protect survivors and their families from violence, trauma, or their perpetrators.
“Now it’s up to state and local governments to choose violence or safety. We urge them to reject the callousness of the Supreme Court and address houseless people with care. We won’t stop fighting to ensure survivors and people who are homeless are centered in the policies that affect them. We’re committed to building a world where everyone has dignity, choice, and stability.”
Housing is extremely limited for gender-based violence survivors, often forcing them to make impossible and unfair decisions between sleeping outside or suffering continued violence. In April, the National Housing Law Project and Sexual Violence Law Center filed an amicus brief with SCOTUS signed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence and 74 national, state, territorial, and local domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking organizations urging it to support the rights of people who are homeless, including unhoused survivors, in City of Grants Pass, Ore. v. Johnson.
The dissenting opinion, penned by Justice Sotomayor and joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, cites the brief, recognizing that survivors become homeless due to circumstances outside of their control.
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The National Housing Law Project’s mission is to advance housing justice for poor people and communities. We achieve this by strengthening and enforcing the rights of tenants and low-income homeowners, increasing housing opportunities for underserved communities, and preserving and expanding the nation’s supply of safe and affordable homes.
The Sexual Violence Law Center’s mission is to protect the privacy, safety, and civil rights of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence through holistic and trauma-informed legal advocacy based in race and gender equity principles. SVLC uplifts survivor voices, ensures survivors are treated with dignity and respect, and holds systems and abusers accountable.
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) represents the 56 state and U.S. territorial coalitions against domestic violence. NNEDV is a social change organization working to create a social, political, and economic environment in which domestic violence no longer exists. NNEDV works to make domestic violence a national priority, change the way society responds to domestic violence, and strengthen domestic violence advocacy at every level.
Freedom Network USA (FNUSA), established in 2001, is a coalition of over 100 non-governmental organizations and individuals that provide services to and advocate for the rights of trafficking survivors in the United States. FNUSA advocates for a human rights-based approach that protects the rights of survivors and respects their individual agency.
The Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting equity and social change in order to end violence for all communities.