Oregon governments, leaders react to SCOTUS upholding Grants Pass camping ban

Local reactions are pouring in after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the city of Grants Pass can enforce a camping ban within city limits, finding the ban did not violate the Constitution's eight amendment on "cruel and unusual punishment."

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Local reaction is pouring in after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the city of Grants Pass can enforce a camping ban within city limits, finding the ban did not violate the Constitution's eighth Amendment on "cruel and unusual punishment."

Ultimately, the Supreme Court sided with the city in the decision, 6-3, with the conservative supermajority splitting the decision along ideological lines.

The City of Grants Pass released a statement, emphasizing the ruling paves the way for the next steps:

Like many across our country, we are grateful to know the Supreme Court’s opinion in our case, and we’re thankful that the Court’s ruling will help guide our next steps regarding unhoused members of our community. 

Once our legal counsel has thoroughly reviewed the SCOTUS opinion reversing the Ninth Circuit’s ruling and remanding it for further discussion, the City Council will receive a briefing and discuss our options for moving forward. 

While it is too soon to know specifically what steps we may take, we are committed to assisting residents struggling to find stable housing, and we will continue working to make Grants Pass a safe and welcoming community for all.

Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez also weighed in a post on social media, adding this ruling should spur further action from the state:

A dark period in the west, for Oregon, for Portland has ended: the Supreme Court has overruled the 9th Circuit in Grants Pass v. Johnson.

It is time for the Governor Kotek and the Oregon State Legislature to correct or repeal HB 3115.

Moments after the Supreme Court issued their decision, Jes Larson, assistant director of the Department of Housing Services in Washington County, issued a statement nothing how the county's current approach is more advantageous than criminalization:

We appreciate the national attention the Grants Pass Supreme Court case has brought to the critical issue of unsheltered homelessness, a devastating reality for most communities in the United States and a symptom of our national housing crisis. Today’s ruling doesn’t change what we have seen to be effective in reducing unsheltered homelessness on the ground here in Washington County, Oregon.

As this case wound its way through the court system over the past several years, Washington County years has effectively eliminated homeless encampments and reduced unsheltered homelessness by over 35% with a solutions-based approach rather than criminalization. We will continue to connect our unsheltered community members with available shelter and housing and work in coordination with our city and law enforcement partners. We will continue to be courageous in pursuing lasting solutions.

Meanwhile, Oregon House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich noted he saw this ruling as a win for for community restoration:

Our parks were never meant to be campgrounds and now our cities can finally begin restoring our communities' public spaces. The Supreme Court's ruling is a victory for common sense and highlights what conservative leadership looks like.

While Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler acknowledged the ruling "laid the federal constitution issue to rest," he claimed this will have little impact to Portland as the city is still required to follow state law on this subject. The statement continued, in part, touching on the city's proposed camping ordinance:

Enforcement of the City's camping ordinance will begin on July 1, 2024. We will enforce campsites that pose the largest health and safety risks. We are committed to continuing to expand shelter services to provide a reasonable place for people living on the streets to stabilize and get connected to resources. The city is continuing to move unsheltered Portlanders off the streets, into shelter, and into permanent housing.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said in a social media post that the ruling does not change the urgency in the work ahead:

People still need places to stay warm and dry and ultimately leave homelessness. People still need additional services to transition into shelter or housing.

And we’ve worked with the Mayor’s Office and partners at all levels of government and across the community to build a Homelessness Response System and develop and deliver on a Homelessness Response Action Plan that fundamentally reshapes and refocuses our work, so we can serve thousands more people in need moving forward.

Kat Mahoney, executive director of the local social justice organization Sisters of the Road, shared her response to the SCOTUS decision.

Let’s be clear: Camping bans do not solve houselessness. The heartbreaking reality is that because of today’s decision, we can expect to see a rise in armed police arresting and fining unhoused people and more people being traumatized and injured during police interactions. Sisters will remain steadfast in supporting strategies that address the root causes of houselessness and uplifting the experiences and humanity of our unhoused community.

In a joint statement from the Oregon House and Senate Housing chairs, Sen. Kayse Jama and Rep. Pam Marsh shared their commitment to ensuring that Oregonians have access to safe and affordable housing.

Our goal remains making sure every Oregonian has access to safe, affordable housing so no one has to resort to sleeping on the streets. Homelessness will be solved by building more housing, supporting shelters and programs to get people on the path out of homelessness.

Local jurisdictions have a duty to maintain livability for everyone in their communities – and, importantly, there needs to be a reasonable balance between those concerns and the reality that too many Oregonians don’t have anywhere safe to sleep. Today's Supreme Court ruling does nothing to solve the housing and homelessness crisis in Oregon. The legislature remains focused on addressing the root causes of homelessness, increasing the housing supply, and funding programs that help get people on a path out of houselessness.

This story will be updated with additional reactions when available.