Supreme Court's anti-camping ruling raises issues for homeless Georgians

ATLANTA — A new U.S. Supreme Court ruling that OKs anti-camping laws will lead local governments in Georgia to try to crack down further on people who are homeless, social services providers predict.

One rub: There’s a shortage of places for the homeless to go.

“We cannot ticket or arrest people out of homelessness,” said Mariel Risner Sivley, the housing director for St. Vincent de Paul Georgia, which provides housing, food and health support for those in need.

The high court’s June 28 decision, which reversed an appeals court ruling that had prevented an Oregon city from enforcing restrictions on people sleeping or camping in public places, “will have an immediate impact” on the actions of local governments in Georgia, Sivley said.

She predicted more communities will enforce existing bans — dozens already exist around the state — or create new ones that fine and potentially incarcerate people who sleep in public places, even when there are no local shelter spaces available.

Many communities around the state and nation have struggled in recent years with people sleeping on sidewalks, under bridges, in public parks and along streets. There have been complaints about public health, safety and garbage from metro Atlanta to small south Georgia towns.

Earlier this year, the city of Atlanta cleared encampments under some bridges after a rash of fires damaged roadways and scrambled traffic. In some cases, police threatened to arrest people for criminal trespass if they didn’t move. Dozens of the inhabitants were moved into housing as part of city programs, but others resisted and dozens are believed to have simply shifted to other spots.

Ralph Hickox, who is mayor of Jesup in southeast Georgia, said he’s glad the Supreme Court allowed anti-camping laws.

The city of 10,000 approved just such a law last year, along with prohibitions on panhandling, as the number of homeless people living along streets, in wooded areas and in abandoned buildings ballooned.

“Letting them live on sidewalks is not a solution,” the mayor said. He said there were issues with drugs, feces, trash and complaints from people generally feeling unsafe.

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