Compassion, not punishment, is key to ending homelessness

Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in the case of City of Grants Pass v. Johnson. The court ruled that municipal governments were allowed to issue tickets, fines and other criminal penalties for individuals sleeping outdoors without a permit — even when shelter beds or other public accommodations were not available.

The outcome of this ruling means that cities will have new punitive powers toward people who don’t have a place to live — opening the door for policies that effectively criminalize homelessness.

We are leaders of two organizations that are working from a shared understanding that every person and family deserves a safe place to live. The Supreme Court’s ruling makes it harder, not easier, to achieve this vision.

For people who are homeless, the criminalization of homelessness will only heighten the challenges they already face. Unpaid fines will spiral into worsening legal and financial complications. Displacement of encampments will make it harder for individuals to get health care and other supportive resources, and a criminal record will add one more barrier standing in the way of long-term housing.

United Way’s 211 community resource helpline is a valuable source of data around the challenges families are facing in the Twin Cities region. In 2023, housing was by far our greatest area of need, with more than 45% of callers seeking some form of housing support — including rent assistance, emergency shelter, legal aid or other community resources.

In a region where shelters cannot meet the existing demand, where rent is rising faster than wages — where are our unsheltered neighbors supposed to live?

Fines, tickets and the never-ending cycle of displacement and disruption won’t end homelessness. Housing — with supportive services, when necessary — ends homelessness.

For organizations like Model Cities of St. Paul, addressing homelessness is a holistic process. Model Cities provides overnight emergency shelter and supportive housing for people who are homeless, combined with supportive services to ensure they’re able to stay housed. Compassion is at the heart of Model Cities’ work — and the recognition that stable lives begin with stable housing.

In addition to addressing immediate housing needs, Greater Twin Cities United Way and Model Cities have also exemplified new approaches to homelessness prevention. Greater Twin Cities United Way’s Pathways Home initiative, for example, supports young people who are transitioning out of foster care or incarceration — two situations where young people face a higher risk of homelessness. Dollar for dollar, these approaches make a far greater impact in ending and preventing homelessness than the punitive policies enabled by Grants Pass.

There are many other organizations doing this work, who are rooted in the same spirit of innovation and collaboration. But without further public investment to bring these efforts to scale, this work will be incomplete.

Our nonprofits and community organizations are doing the most they can to fill the gaps that exist — but the persistence of homelessness represents a broader policy failure. According to data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Minnesota has only 42 affordable homes for every 100 households with low income. We simply do not have enough affordable housing to meet demand.

Homelessness looks different in every community; whatever a community’s solutions may look like, they will require compassion and creativity. This effort requires collaboration, not competition — building new policy solutions across city and county lines.

We were pleased to see the Minnesota Legislature’s $1 billion investment in affordable housing in the 2023 legislative session, showing our state’s recognition of the importance of this work and the community voices who made it possible. This November, we ask that you make your voice heard again.

In the wake of Grants Pass, we should ask new questions of our candidates. Will lawmakers pursue the costly route to displace and criminalize our neighbors for being unhoused? Or will they prioritize an approach that seeks compassionate solutions and new resources for stable housing?

The Supreme Court’s ruling is a disappointing setback — but together, we can ensure that every family in this state has a place to call home.

Shannon Smith Jones is senior vice president of community impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way. Kizzy Downie is president and CEO of Model Cities of St. Paul.