Latest Homelessness News

California sues LA suburb for temporary ban of homeless shelters

Nov. 04, 2024 15:02 PM EST

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles suburb on Monday, alleging the city's recent moratorium on homeless shelters and temporary housing violates the state's fair housing and anti-discrimination laws. The lawsuit is part of an ongoing effort by...

Vermont is opening two emergency family shelters, and planning a third

Oct. 31, 2024 14:41 PM EDT

WATERBURY, Vt. (AP) — The state of Vermont is opening two emergency family shelters on Friday after hundreds of the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness had to leave state-funded motel rooms this fall as new caps on that pandemic-era emergency housing program took effect. ...

Maui considers new law to regulate homeless sweeps

Oct. 29, 2024 16:18 PM EDT

Maui County Council members are working on a bill to establish procedures for sweeps of homeless people to ensure their rights are protected after a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling against the county. “We have to treat these folks with dignity. We cannot put trauma upon trauma to some...

Judge blocks further sweeps of homeless camp in New Orleans ahead of Taylor Swift concerts

Oct. 26, 2024 16:27 PM EDT

A judge in Louisiana has temporarily blocked further efforts by state officials to clear homeless encampments in New Orleans — stalling a push that came ahead of three Taylor Swift concerts in the city this weekend. The effort to relocate about 75 people living in tents beneath an...

Before Taylor Swift show in New Orleans, a homeless encampment is forced to move

Oct. 23, 2024 21:03 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In anticipation of three Taylor Swift concerts, which could draw around 150,000 visitors to New Orleans' Superdome this weekend, state authorities on Wednesday began clearing a nearby homeless encampment. Roughly 75 people who were living in tents beneath an...

New York City's $4B shelter system rife with mismanagement, nepotism, investigators say

Oct. 18, 2024 14:39 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A yearslong investigation of New York City's $4 billion homeless shelter system found widespread mismanagement, self-dealing and nepotism. The review of dozens of nonprofit organizations that contract with the city to provide shelter to unhoused individuals and...

Vermont works to set up 3 family shelters for households leaving pandemic-era motel program

Oct. 16, 2024 16:43 PM EDT

Vermont is working to set up three shelters in the coming weeks for families experiencing homelessness who had to leave state-funded motel rooms this fall after new caps on that pandemic-era emergency housing program were imposed, officials said Wednesday. The family shelters are...

19 mayoral candidates compete to lead Portland, Oregon, in a race with homelessness at its heart

Oct. 16, 2024 00:21 AM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A lot of political changes are coming to Portland, Oregon. The open mayoral race in the state’s most populous city features 19 candidates — all vying to lead after years of growing frustration over homeless encampments. Among them: three City Council...

Wisconsin closing some public parking lots that have become camps for homeless

Oct. 14, 2024 12:31 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Citing safety, authorities are closing two Milwaukee-area public parking lots where people have been living in tents, trailers and cars. “The environments continue to degrade and become less safe every day,” the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said...

2 arrested in deadly attack on homeless man sleeping in NYC parking lot

Oct. 11, 2024 20:47 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Two men were arrested on manslaughter charges Friday in the beating death of a homeless man who was accosted while sleeping in a supermarket parking lot in Brooklyn, police said. The suspects were awaiting arraignment, and it wasn't clear whether they had attorneys...