The Supreme Court ruled Friday that cities in California and the West may enforce laws restricting homeless encampments on sidewalks and other public property. In a 6-3 decision, the justices disagreed with the the 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco and ruled it is not 'cruel and unusual' punishment for city officials to forbid homeless people from sleeping on the streets or in parks.
A divided 9th Circuit agreed by a 2-1 vote. Judge Rosyln Silver said the 'city of Grants Pass cannot, consistent with the 8th Amendment, enforce its anti-camping ordinances against homeless persons for the mere act of sleeping outside with rudimentary protection from the elements, or for sleeping in their car at night, when there is no other place in the city for them to go.' The full 9th Circuit then split 14-13 to uphold that ruling. California Gov.