Oregon city at heart of Supreme Court homelessness ruling votes to ban camping except in some areas
The small Oregon city at the heart of a recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to enforce outdoor sleeping bans has voted to prohibit camping but establish certain areas where homeless people can go.
The Grants Pass City Council voted 7-0 Wednesday to ban camping on public property such as parks and create four sites across the city where homeless people can set up their tents.
The move marks the city’s first change to its anti-camping laws since the high court’s June decision paved the way for outdoor sleeping bans across the country. Local officials in the mountain town have struggled for years to address a homelessness crisis that has divided residents and sparked a fierce fight over park space.
