Ugochi Anaebere-Nicholson, a staff attorney with the Public Interest Law Project, said in a phone interview that the Supreme Court decision earlier this year was a disappointment. “It really didn’t take into account the actual solutions to houselessness, which is permanent and affordable, supportive housing,” she said.

“That’s what’s been proven to actually help stem the tide of houselessness, not these rules that are punishing people for the status of being unhoused.”

Anaebere-Nicholson called the anti-camping laws draconian and said cities need to take a collective approach to addressing homelessness.

“I just don’t see that happening with laws that are designed to criminalize people and penalize them with funds, fees, jail time,” she said “That’s not how you deal with someone who’s going through the crisis of losing their home or not being able to find one.”

Read the full story by Hosam Elattar in the Voice of Orange County here.

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