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Our lawyers and advocates are among the nation's leading experts on civil liberties and constitutional freedoms. Read the latest on the ACLU of Northern California’s work. To schedule a press interview, call (415) 621-2493 or contact press@aclunc.org.

ACLU of Northern CA
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Supreme Court Decision Guts Key Civil Rights Protection for Unhoused People

Jun 28, 2024
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson opens the door for cities to cite and arrest people simply for being homeless. However, San Francisco has policies and an ordinance requiring the city to offer shelter before clearing encampments. Our lawsuit challenging San Francisco's costly and ineffective response to homelessness will proceed. Read More
ACLU of Northern CA
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Supreme Court Hears Grants Pass v. Johnson, ACLU Reiterates Call to Uphold Eighth Amendment Protections

Apr 22, 2024
The Supreme Court’s decision could have far-reaching implications for unhoused people. However, most of the legal issues in Coalition on Homelessness v. City of San Francisco, which challenges the City’s costly and ineffective practice of citing, arresting, and moving unhoused individuals without offering real alternative shelter and destroying their belongings, are not under review in the Grants ... Read More
ACLU of Northern CA
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ACLU Brief Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Eighth Amendment Protections in Grants Pass v. Johnson

Apr 03, 2024
Grants Pass v. Johnson involves an Oregon town that passed ordinances barring people from sleeping outside in public using a blanket, pillow, or even a cardboard sheet to lie on. Last year, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that criminally punishing unhoused people violates the Eighth Amendment “if there are no other public areas or appropriate shelters where those individuals can sleep.” Read More