Mayor London Breed said a “very aggressive” crackdown on San Francisco's homeless camps will begin in August after a recent Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for widespread enforcement.
In June, the Supreme Court ruled that enforcing rules against homeless people sleeping outdoors does not violate the “cruel and unusual punishment” clause of the Eighth Amendment.
On Thursday, Breed welcomed the ruling and said the city plans to change its protocols and may begin imposing criminal penalties on homeless people.
“Thank God for the Supreme Court's change of ruling,” Breed said at an election debate hosted by a local firefighters' union. “Starting in August, we're going to be very aggressive and forceful in moving camps, which may even result in criminal consequences.”
A spokesman for the mayor's office said a more comprehensive plan would be available in late July or early August.
“San Francisco is a compassion-first city, and we will continue to lead with services, but we cannot allow people to turn down services and accommodations when they are offered and available,” the mayor's office said in a statement. “Our goal is to get people into their homes – camping or living on our streets is not safe for our community, our residents, and people who need support.”
