NEW
YORK, June 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Rosanne Haggerty, President and
Chief Executive Officer at nonprofit Community Solutions, a leader
in homelessness solutions, issued the following statement in
response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to rule in favor of
the City of Grants Pass in Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case
which determined whether it's unconstitutional for cities to arrest
or ticket people for sleeping outside:
"The Supreme Court's decision is deeply disappointing. Arresting
or fining people for experiencing homelessness is cruel — and it
won't solve the problem.
"Countless studies show we can't police homelessness out of
existence. But there are proven solutions to homelessness. It takes
a community-wide effort to make sure that every person experiencing
homelessness is accounted for and cared for.
"We've seen that communities can reduce homelessness when they
set a clear goal and hold themselves accountable for meeting it.
Gathering by-name data on every person experiencing homelessness
helps communities accurately identify their needs and provide the
right services.
This data helps cities make strategic investments in housing and
services and allows them to track their progress to see if these
interventions are working.
"Cities like Houston,
Cincinnati, and Denver have successfully reduced homelessness
using these methods.
"Leaders have a choice. The law now allows them to punish people
for experiencing homelessness, but this won't solve the problem.
Cities can make a different choice. By choosing proven solutions to
homelessness, together we can create communities where everyone has
a home."
About Community Solutions
Community Solutions is
a nonprofit committed to creating a lasting end to homelessness
that leaves no one behind. It leads Built for Zero, a movement of
more than 100 communities in the United
States working to measurably and equitably end homelessness.
Using a data-driven methodology, these communities have changed how
local systems work and the impact they can achieve. To date, 14
communities have reached functional zero, a milestone for ending
homelessness for a population. Learn more at
www.community.solutions or follow us at @CmtySolutions.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alden
Iaconis
(202) 516-6593
379809@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Community Solutions