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04/12/2022

Can California cities sweep homeless camps? What to know about a key 2018 court decision

After Sacramento cleared a highly-visible homeless encampment on the corner of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Howe Avenue Monday, activists argued the sweep’s legality, citing a 2018 federal appeals court decision. The decision, known as Martin vs. Boise, has prevented the city in the past from sweeping homeless camps on publicly owned land without providing shelter to individuals. The Boise decision had ripple effects across the West Coast, including in Sacramento County, which has more than 5,500 unhoused people, according to the 2019 point-in-time count. The 2022 count took place in February and will be released later this year. California cities have struggled with how to manage homelessness since the 2018 decision, with many local governments attempting to move camps in accordance with guidance from the ruling, which mandates providing adequate shelter to individuals. For example, last summer Venice Beach officials cleared out homeless tents from the city’s boardwalk and relocated the unhoused individuals into temporary housing. What exactly is Martin vs. Boise and what does it do? Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/homeless/article260349305.html#storylink=cpy