human being must do to survive. The Law Center surveyed 187 cities and assessed the number and type of municipal codes that criminalize the life-sustaining behaviors of homeless people. The results of our research show that the criminalization of necessary human activities is all too common in cities across the country. Prevalence of laws that criminalize 34% of cities impose city-wide bans on camping in public. homelessness: Laws prohibiting in public o • “camping”1 57% of cities prohibit camping in particular public places. 18% of cities o Laws prohibiting sleeping in public o • impose city-wide bans on sleeping in public. 27% of cities prohibit sleeping in particular public places, o such as in public parks. 1 Laws that criminalize camping in public are written broadly to include an array of living 24% of cities impose city-wide arrangements, including simply sleeping outdoors. Laws prohibiting begging in public o • bans on begging in public. 76% of cities prohibit begging in particular public places. o Laws prohibiting • 33% of cities make it illegal to loiter in public throughout an entire city. 65% loitering, loafing, and vagrancy o o of cities prohibit the activity in particular public places. o 53% of Laws prohibiting sitting or lying down in public • cities prohibit sitting or lying down in particular public places. 43% of Laws prohibiting sleeping in vehicles o • cities prohibit sleeping in vehicles. 9% of cities prohibit sharing food with Laws prohibiting food sharing o • homeless people
human being must do to survive. The Law Center surveyed 187 cities and assessed the number and type of municipal codes that criminalize the life-sustaining behaviors of homeless people. The results of our research show that the criminalization of necessary human activities is all too common in cities across the country. Prevalence of laws that criminalize homelessness: • Laws prohibiting “camping”1 in public o 34% of cities impose city-wide bans on camping in public. o 57% of cities prohibit camping in particular public places. • Laws prohibiting sleeping in public o 18% of cities impose city-wide bans on sleeping in public. o 27% of cities prohibit sleeping in particular public places, such as in public parks. 1 Laws that criminalize camping in public are written broadly to include an array of living arrangements, including simply sleeping outdoors. • Laws prohibiting begging in public o 24% of cities impose city-wide bans on begging in public. o 76% of cities prohibit begging in particular public places. • Laws prohibiting loitering, loafing, and vagrancy o 33% of cities make it illegal to loiter in public throughout an entire city. o 65% of cities prohibit the activity in particular public places. • Laws prohibiting sitting or lying down in public o 53% of cities prohibit sitting or lying down in particular public places. • Laws prohibiting sleeping in vehicles o 43% of cities prohibit sleeping in vehicles. • Laws prohibiting food sharing o 9% of cities prohibit sharing food with homeless people
The%20United%20States%20ought%20to%20guarantee%20the%20right%20to%20housing.docx