A California Homeless Bill of Rights

Why a Homeless Bill of Rights?

California and the United States: long history of laws that have criminalized unwanted groups of people.

Civil Rights, property rights, and due process rights violations against homeless people still exist.

The California Homeless Bill of Rights

Is a response to discrimination against homeless people. Can help alleviate poverty and homelessness while protecting homeless people from discrimination and ensuring their right to privacy and to their personal property.

About the bill

Assembly member Ammiano is the bill author. Draft language includes provisions for:
Freedom from discrimination based on homeless status. Property rights. Access to public space. The right to shelter. Right to basic services, income, and to perform life-sustaining activities (including sharing/receiving food). The right to safety and equal treatment under the law. The right to counsel. The right for homeless children to attend the same school they attended before becoming homeless. The right to restitution if the victim of a crime.

About the Bill

The bill defines as homeless those individuals or families who:
lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and who have a primary nighttime residence:
in a shelter on the street in a vehicle in an enclosure or structure that is not authorized or fit for human habitation doubled up temporarily with friends or families staying in transitional housing programs.

includes anyone staying in Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels without tenancy rights, and families with children staying in SRO hotels whether or not they have tenancy rights.

Impacts for homeless CalFresh recipients and outreach workers

Problems that could be addressed by the BoR: CalFresh denials for homeless people because of lack of ID or proof of residency in their county. Protects emergency feeding programs, which is where much CalFresh outreach takes place. Other impacts that you can think of?

How to help
Join our campaign (we dont have a website yet, but you can contact me at crivecca@stanthonysf.org to get information about the campaign). Let us know about barriers that homeless people face when applying for CalFresh.