Over 60 Local Progress members signed onto an amicus brief advocating for Housing First solutions in the face of the growing movement across the country to criminalize encampments and people who are unhoused. Local elected officials across the country know their communities the best. They understand that the solution to homelessness is housing, but have been forced to contend with other local or state governments that want to criminalize homelessness before looking for solutions to house people.
This amicus brief came following a district court decision that halted San Francisco’s practice of emcampment evictions for “as long as there are more homeless individuals in San Francisco than there are shelter beds available.” As the decision is appealed in the Ninth Circuit Court, Local Progress members across the country used the opportunity to urge the court to uphold the decision. Highlighting their own work to end homelessness, Local Progress members pointed to alternative solutions that house people first rather than resorting to violent and traumatic evictions. From Dallas to Sacramento to Denver to Seattle, local elected officials are working tirelessly to meet the needs of their unhoused communites.
Hear Local Progress members say for themselves why they support Housing First:
Local Progress members signed on to this amicus brief because they know that housing is an essential need, that it is more important and more helpful to meet people with care rather than criminalization, and that every person across the country deserves a safe, stable, dignified home. You can read the amicus brief in full here.
