City of Grants Pass v. Johnson

In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on June 28, 2024, that the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, may enforce its public camping ordinances against homeless individuals without violating the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The case arose after Gloria Johnson and John Logan challenged the ordinances, which prohibited sleeping or camping on public property with bedding. The Ninth Circuit had held that the laws criminalized the status of being homeless when no shelter was available. The Supreme Court reversed, with Justice Neil Gorsuch writing for the majority that the ordinances regulate conduct, not status, and that the Eighth Amendment does not prohibit local governments from addressing public health and safety issues related to encampments.

The Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit in a 6-3 decision, holding that the City of Grants Pass's enforcement of its anti-camping ordinances does not violate the Eighth Amendment.

Whether enforcing public camping ordinances against involuntarily homeless persons when no shelter beds are available constitutes cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.

The decision gives local governments broader authority to clear homeless encampments and enforce public camping bans. Supporters argue it restores local control and addresses public safety concerns, while critics contend it criminalizes homelessness and may worsen the humanitarian crisis by pushing unhoused individuals into the criminal justice system.