Lynn Continuum of Care Board of Directors

The U.S. Supreme Court holds the fate of more than a half-million unhoused U.S. residents in its hands. The court is hearing the case of Grants Pass, Ore. v. Gloria Johnson, the most significant Supreme Court case concerning homelessness in decades. With homelessness at its highest level on record, the Supreme Court will decide whether a local government can arrest or fine people for sleeping outside even when adequate shelter is not available.

Here in Lynn, despite the efforts of many agencies led by the Lynn Continuum of Care (CoC), we see an increase in homelessness among individuals, families, elders, and young adults. Rents in Lynn continue to rise, and according to the city’s Housing Lynn report, more than 20% of renter households are spending more than half of their income on rent.

We are grateful that the city has supported real solutions to address homelessness and has avoided responses that may be politically expedient but are also ineffective and inhumane, such as the policies now before the Supreme Court. Fining, ticketing, arresting, or otherwise punishing people for not having a home is cruel, costly, and unproductive. These approaches make it more difficult for people to access the affordable housing, health services, and employment necessary to leave homelessness. If the Supreme Court decides that people who have nowhere to sleep at night can be arrested because they are without homes, we will see resources wasted and even more lives harmed.

Rather than arresting people for being unhoused, policymakers at all levels need to invest in the tools known to reduce homelessness. With leadership from the Lynn Housing Authority, using resources to provide rent subsidies and services to connect homeless veterans with needed supports, Lynn succeeded in reducing veteran homelessness to “functional zero” several years ago, maintaining that level ever since. To end homelessness for all people, we need to invest in initiatives that we know work, as demonstrated by efforts to end veteran homelessness.

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Grants Pass, it will give permission to cities and states across the country to punish people who are forced to sleep outside, even if they have no other safe option. A ruling such as this would make it harder for people to exit homelessness and punish people who are already suffering for a situation outside their control.

Of course, no one likes to see people living outside without essentials such as shelter, bathrooms, and running water. But responding with police enforcement is ineffective and expensive. We are fortunate here in Lynn that our police, especially the bike team and behavioral health unit, are committed to connecting vulnerable residents with needed services and support.

The Lynn Continuum of Care is hopeful that the Supreme Court will share our mission to help rather than criminalize people who are unhoused, and declare unconstitutional the punishment of people who are living outside when there is no adequate shelter. In our challenging housing environment, where any financial shock can push households out of their homes and into homelessness, we must redouble our efforts to advance cost-effective and humane strategies to reduce the financial and social costs of the homelessness-to-jail cycle intervening to provide low barrier housing and comprehensive health care services until we end homelessness for all people in Lynn.

The Lynn Continuum of Care is a coalition of nonprofit organizations working together to end homelessness. Its board of directors includes President Birgitta Damon, Vice President Mark Evans, Treasurer Dianne Kuzia-Hills, Clerk Brandy Rodriguez, Lina Abdalla, Dottie Davies, Tracey Friedman, Laura Gallant, Jodi Gibeley, Meaghen Hamill, Joanna Huntington, and Harry MacCabe.