NLIHC, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (The Alliance), and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities hosted a webinar, “The Supreme Court and the Criminalization of Homelessness,” on April 9. The webinar was the first in a new webinar series, “Advancing Homelessness Solutions.” The next webinar in the series will be held on Tuesday, May 21, from 2 to 3 pm ET. Register for the webinar here.
On the 4/9 webinar, leading experts from the National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC), the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), and the Housing Narrative Lab discussed the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, the most significant court case about the rights of people experiencing homelessness in decades.
Steve Berg, chief policy officer at The Alliance, moderated the webinar. He shared a short video from NHLC emphasizing the human impact of the Supreme Court case. Jesse Rabinowitz, campaign and communications director at NHLC, provided an overview of the Supreme Court case, highlighted the importance of long-term solutions, and addressed how advocates can get involved.
Donald Whitehead, executive director of NCH, shared about events happening on April 22 – the day oral arguments will be heard. He discussed how his organization is engaging and centering people with lived experience and highlighted a new toolkit on local action organizing.
Brooke Schipporeit, NLIHC’s field manager, discussed how advocates can use this moment to advance real solutions to homelessness and housing instability. She encouraged attendees to use a new advocacy toolkit to plan an event during the week of April 22 in their local communities.
Marisol Bello, executive director of the Housing Narrative Lab, shared how advocates can discuss the Grants Pass v. Johnson case when speaking to those who are not as familiar with the causes of and solutions to homelessness. She discussed do’s and don’ts and shared the Housing Narrative Lab’s messaging guidance on the court case.
We have uploaded a recording of the call, as well as the presentation slides.
The next webinar will be held on Tuesday, May 21, from 2 to 3 pm ET. Register for the series at: https://tinyurl.com/2spa9f7b