When cities lets homeless camps spiral out of control…who are they serving? A constitutional scholar and law professor is suing big cities on the premise of nuisance laws…and he is winning. In one instance, his action cleared a massive
homeless encampment in Phoenix, known as “the zone.”
Listen in as Bob spars with our special guest, constitutional expert and author, Ilan Wurman. We delve headfirst into the legal complexities and human disaster is homelessness and inadvertent implications of old court decisions.
Listen as we expose what the court found was a city's negligence in enforcing laws against public camping and sleeping, leading to the unfortunate living conditions of up to a thousand individuals, struggling with issues ranging from drugs and violence to human waste. Discover how public nuisance lawsuits are being used to address the crisis without adding to the criminalization of homelessness. We are reminded the pervasive role of addiction and mental illness in the homeless scenario.
Will we see nuisance lawsuits nationwide? Gain insights into this ripple effect and the fierce stance of organizations like the ACLU against the removal of homeless camps.
We discuss if it's high time for cities to prioritize the well-being of their residents over lawsuit fears. Spoiler alert, it is.
This is a cutting edge episode you don't want to miss.