The groups believe the latter classification could lead to the city performing sweeps, or issuing move-along orders and confiscating belongings from homeless residents, said Lauren Hansen, the Public Interest Law Project attorney representing the service providers.

“Homeless people are the subject of the litigation, but they’re not part of it. So that’s why we’re intervening,” Hansen said. “If the court grants our motion for intervention, we’re hoping to be part of a remedy that ensures homelessness isn’t criminalized.”

Read the full article by Brian Howey in the San Francisco Public Press here.