Jarrett James Lash writes for Politics Insider
On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling Grants Pass v. Johnson Local laws that punish homeless people for camping on public lands do not violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling leaves homeless people across the country in a double bind: Either face the legal consequences of trying to survive, or be uprooted and relocated again and again.
As some local governments turn to law enforcement to manage homeless individuals, faith-based institutions in these communities have a unique opportunity to provide alternatives. The Supreme Court’s ruling on homeless encampments should serve as a rallying cry for religious groups to use their unparalleled philanthropic abilities to stem homelessness rather than rely solely on government intervention.
Where is the church?
This provocative tweet is often circulated: “If every church sheltered two homeless people, there would be no more homeless people.” According to the National Congregational Research Survey, an estimated 2020 There are 380,000 church gatherings in the United States. Technically established. This raises key questions about the role religious institutions can and should play in addressing the homelessness crisis.
Religious groups are already deeply involved in this work. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, faith-based organizations are “the backbone of this country’s homeless shelter system—providing at least nearly 30 percent of emergency shelters nationwide for families and single adults. Beds. However, not all emergency shelters are created equal.
Every year during the last few weeks of January, volunteers from across the country participate in the Point in Time (PIT) Count, taking to the streets and visiting shelters to count the homeless and sheltered homeless. These statistics are seriously skewed from the full year picture. Federal data shows that only 36.6% of homeless people are unsheltered, but that’s only part of the story. Countless American communities offer shelter only during the winter to provide necessary protection from the cold.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that by 2022, the country will have fewer than 188,000 year-round shelter beds for adults. 463,590 homeless single adults were identified during the 2023 point-in-time count, more than half of whom may be at risk of legal penalties if they are unable to seek asylum. With the imminent risk of legal penalties for not having housing available, religious groups can help break the system of closing shelters as the weather warms by operating themselves or providing alternative housing.
How will local governments respond? Grant
After the Supreme Court’s ruling, local governments will adopt two responses: on the one hand, they will consider how to reduce the “public nuisance” of homeless people wandering and wandering by banning camping; on the other hand, they will seek solutions to increase their shelter capacity. . While local governments have the ability to mobilize police forces to confront homeless encampments, they have been slow to raise the funds needed and address public concerns to expand available shelters and low-barrier housing.
Religious groups have both a moral responsibility and legal means to cut through red tape. Faith-based institutions have a responsibility to provide moral leadership and actively establish homeless shelters and low-income housing as concrete expressions of their faith’s teachings of mercy. When communities scream “Not in my backyard!” pastors need to respond compassionately, minister to the homeless, rally congregants to volunteer and support these initiatives.
When government funding is hard to come by, a strong tithe can bridge the financial gap and ensure that shelters are not only built but sustainably maintained. This commitment to tithing safeguards the dignity and welfare of the most vulnerable, provides stability amid political change and ensures services remain strong regardless of fluctuations in public sector funding.
keep the faith
In addition to churches having access to donation-based funding, religious institutions have greater leverage to circumvent zoning laws. California provides an excellent example of this. Despite having fewer churches per capita and higher homelessness rates, the state signed the Faith and Higher Education Land Affordable Housing Act into law in October 2023, ushering in YIGBY, or “In God’s Backyard.” “Yes”). The law aimed at combating California’s housing problem allows religious groups to build affordable housing on their properties and provides flexibility in zoning regulations to deal with the crisis. Other states are looking to replicate this approach through similar legislation. For Californians, now the state’s faith-based institutions must provide solutions to house homeless people experiencing homelessness.
As the dust settles on the Supreme Court ruling and the implications for camp enforcement become clear, the call to action for America’s religious groups is clear and urgent. Churches across the country need to open their doors, build shelter and housing, and advocate for policies that uphold the dignity of every person. If the government bans homelessness, our compassion should compel us to provide shelter for our neighbors in need.
Jarrett James Lash is a staff writer at Young Voices who covers the impact of the housing market, land use and policy on the communities where we live.
