San Francisco to Intensify Sweeps of Homeless Encampments Following Supreme Court Decision
San Francisco is set to increase its efforts to clear homeless encampments after the Supreme Court ruled that cities can enforce bans on outdoor camping and sleeping without violating the Constitution’s cruel and unusual punishment clause.
Mayor London Breed cited the ruling as a basis for the city to take stronger actions in addressing its homelessness crisis.
“With this opportunity, we’ll be able to do more to clean and clear our streets — especially for those who are refusing shelter and services,” Breed said during a recent press conference at City Hall. “This is very helpful to us as a city.”
When asked how many tents the city plans to clear, Breed responded, “My hope is that we can clear them all.” The mayor emphasized that while the city will continue to offer “shelter and support” to homeless individuals, law enforcement will now play a more active role in clearing encampments in public areas.
The Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 decision sided with a town in Oregon that imposed a fine for people sleeping outside after denying shelters and services by the city. The decision has emboldened cities across the country to increase efforts in cleaning up the streets. San Francisco has struggled with a significant homeless population, with about 38,000 homeless individuals, marking a 35% increase since 2019, according to the Daily Wire. The homelessness issue has also been exacerbated by rampant drug use, contributing to a record number of fatal overdoses in the city last year.
