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JOHNSON V. GRANTS PASS SUPREME COURT RULING
GOOD NEIGHBOR PLEDGE
As members of Los Angeles regional communities, we stand at a critical juncture in addressing the challenges presented by homelessness and housing instability. In Johnson v. Grants Pass the U.S. Supreme Court, by a 6 -3 vote, held that enforc ing generally applicable laws regulating camping on public property do not violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against “cruel and unusual punishment.” However, the Court noted that the enforcement of these laws can create a “revolving door that circulates individuals experiencing homelessness from the street to the criminal justice system and back.” While also noting t hese public-camping regulations are not usually deployed as a front-line response “to criminalize homelessness ,” instead, they are used to provide city employees with the legal authority to address “encampments that pose significant health and safety risks and to encourage their inhabitants to accept other alternatives like shelters, drug treatment programs, and mental- health facilities.” The Court further recognized that “Homelessness is complex. Its causes are many. So maybe are the public policy responses required to address it.”
In light of the ruling, and the Court’s language, we commit to an approach that offers services and housing as a cornerstone of our strategy to end homelessness . Recognizing the persistent lack of affordable housing , systemic race-based discrimination in the housing and job markets, and controversial history of sweeps, we pledge not to engage in practices that simply move individuals from one jurisdictional street to another, understanding that such actions do not solve but only displace and relocate unsheltered people experiencing homelessness . Through this Good Neighbor Pledge, we affirm our dedication to practices that prioritize coordination, offer services, and achieve sustainable, long-term housing solutions.
Principles:
• Advance Coordination and Collaboration: We commit to enhancing coordination among all stakeholders, including cities, unincorporated areas, s tate, social services, and community organizations, to offer comprehensive , equitable, and humane support and treatment of all people . Continued collaboration with the Executive Committee on
BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS
Hilda L. Solis
First District
Holly J. Mitchell
Second District
Lindsey P. Horvath
Third District
Janice Hahn
Fourth District
Kathryn Barger
Fifth District
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
HOMELESS INITIATIVE
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street, Room 493, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 974-1257 ceo.lacounty.gov
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Fesia A. Davenport Cheri Todoroff
"To Enrich Lives Through Effective And Caring Service"
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Regional Homelessness Alignment (ECHRA) is essential in ensuring a unified and effective regional response.
• Continue Our Investments: The causes, consequences, and experiences of homelessness are complex, interconnected, and unsurprisingly disproportionately experienced by the most vulnerable in our society. We commit to continue investing in solutions to solve and prevent homelessness. Los Angeles County and its 88 municipalities will continue to be partnered in securing housing, shelter, mental health and substance use programs and services aimed to decrease unsheltered homelessness and increase public safety. • Training Our People: Recognizing that many people sleeping on the streets prefer to stay in their neighborhood, often not far from the home where they last lived, we commit to making it easier for them to access the local resources they need to once again become housed within or near community . We commit that appropriate loca l jurisdiction personnel and contractors will strive to be fully aware of the resources available in our municipality so that they can help people experiencing homelessness more easily access these resources. Los Angeles County’s Homeless Initiative and groups such as the many Los Angeles Councils of Governments and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority can assist local juris dictions with this education and training, especially as it relates to coordinating regional resources.
By embracing this pledge, we unite in our commitment to hold each other accountable in a Los Angeles Regional approach defined by compassionate care, collaboration, and community. We acknowledge the challenges, share an interest in avoiding jurisdictional displacement of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness, and remain steadfast in our belief that together, we can respond to homelessness with effective and thoughtful solutions that build a future that honors the collective strength of our neighborhoods.
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Nikki Perez, Mayor of the City of Burbank
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