U.S. Supreme Court Case on Johnson v Grants Pass Resources

Johnson v. Grants Pass Decision

On June 27, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States announced their decision on Johnson v. Grants Pass and ruled in favor of jurisdictions seeking to arrest, ticket, or fine people for experiencing homelessness.

Read Funders Together's statement on the Supreme Court's decision.

Johnson v. Grants Pass Overview

On January 12th, 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States announced that they would hear the case of Johnson v. Grants Pass. At its core, this ruling decides whether cities are allowed to punish people for things like sleeping outside with a pillow or blanket, even when there are no safe shelter options.

According to our partners at the National Homelessness Law Center, this case, which was originally filed in 2018, "determined it is cruel and unusual punishment to arrest or ticket people for sleeping outside when they have no other safe place to go." It currently prohibits government at all levels from fining, arresting, and punishing people experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside when there is no other safe option for them.

By not ruling in favor of upholding the current precedent, local and state governments will legally be able to criminalize people experiencing homelessness who are trying to meet their basic needs. Across the country, cities and states do not have enough affordable housing units to meet a growing demand - a problem that cannot be solved by criminalizing poverty and people without homes.

To be clear: this ruling will have critical impacts on our collective efforts to advance housing and racial justice. Funders Together is working closely with the National Homelessness Law Center and other partners to understand the full impacts of a SCOTUS decision on this case and how to mobilize stakeholders across the country, including philanthropy.

If you have questions or would like to be connected with our partners at the National Homelessness Law Center, please contact Lauren Bennett, Chief of External Affairs at [email protected].

How Philanthropy Can Engage

Philanthropy has an opportunity and obligation to engage in protecting the rights of our neighbors experiencing homelessness. As local and national partners are working in coalition to implement strategy around the SCOTUS Johnson v Grants Pass case, there are crucial opportunities for engagement from philanthropy as leaders in your communities, such as:

Supporting grantee partners in submitting a "friends of the court" brief (or an amicus brief) before oral arguments begin in April and consider submitting your own.
Providing the spaciousness to strategize by supporting convening opportunities for partners, people with lived experience, funder peers, and community leaders.
Considering flexible rapid response resources for housing justice narrative and messaging work that can be utilize before and after a decision.
Exploring how your institution, board, or trustees can utilize influence and connections in new and creative ways.

View the recording from our January 31 funder briefing with the National Homelessness Law Center about the case.

You can read about or watch Amanda Andere's remarks at the Homes Not Handcuffs rally on April 22. You can also view the livestream of the rally in its entirety, thanks to our partners at the National Homelessness Law Center.