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Washington, DC, December 16, 2019 – This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition by the city of Boise to review the case Martin v. Boise (formerly Bell v. Boise). This leaves in place earlier rulings by the 9th Circuit that homeless persons cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property in the absence of adequate alternatives. People experiencing unsheltered homelessness—at least in the 9th Circuit—can sleep more safely without facing criminal punishment for simply trying to survive on the streets. Washington, DC, December 4, 2019 – Yesterday, it was announced that Robert Marbut would be named as the [...]

Washington, D.C. - On December 10, 2015 the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty issued its annual report card on the human right to housing in the U.S., praising the progress if the federal government in addressing the criminalization of homelessness, but condemning its ongoing failure to stem the tide of homelessness by ensuring adequate, affordable housing in available to all. Washington, D.C. - On December 9, 2015 the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, published a newsletter encouraging law enforcement to promote alternatives to the criminalization of homelessness. The newsletter, which reaches more then [...]

Washington, DC, December 16, 2019 – This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition by the city of Boise to review the case Martin v. Boise (formerly Bell v. Boise). This leaves in place earlier rulings by the 9th Circuit that homeless persons cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property in the absence of adequate alternatives. People experiencing unsheltered homelessness—at least in the 9th Circuit—can sleep more safely without facing criminal punishment for simply trying to survive on the streets. National Homelessness and Housing Organizations Respond to USICH Report 10 national organizations, representing advocates and leaders [...]

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) is partnering with the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (Law Center) to provide members of the media, congressional staff, and activists an opportunity to meet Arnold Abbott and shed light on the national issue of criminalization of people who are homeless and those who are helping them. Arnold Abbott, the internationally renowned activist for homeless people, will be the event’s main speaker. Mr. Abbott has received significant media attention in the past two months for openly refusing to abide Fort Lauderdale, FL’s new law that criminalizes the act of sharing food with homeless and needy [...]

Homelessness Action Legal Team About HALT The Homelessness Action Legal Team (HALT) is a national legal community effort to serve and protect homeless Americans and those at risk of becoming homeless. HALT members serve as core support for the National Homelessness Law Center to achieve our mission of using the power of the law to prevent and end homelessness. HALT, formerly known as LEAP (Lawyer's Executive Advisory Partnership) was rebranded in early 2022 to better incorporate our values and mission into the name of the program. Through membership in HALT, the Law Center offers law firms [...]