The city of Santa Cruz is reviewing how a federal appeals court ruling might affect a local law against sleeping in public. Earlier this month, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the city of Boise’s no-camping law.
Santa Cruz has a similar law, and, in light of the Boise ruling, the city attorney’s office says it may soon propose changes to the local law. Homeless advocates say the ruling is welcome but may not go far enough to protect the homeless from city harassment when they try to sleep in public.
The ruling upheld that for individuals who have no other place to sleep but outside, governments cannot criminalize sleeping on public property.
