Grants Pass Cruel Homeless Camping Policy Discriminates Against People with Disabilities

City currently violating Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act

MEDIA CONTACT

Melissa Roy-Hart
(503) 444-0026 | [email protected]

GRANTS PASS, Ore.-In a follow-up letter sent to city officials today, Disability Rights Oregon sounds the alarm about recent changes to homeless camping policies made by the Grants Pass City Council that violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Fair Housing Act.

"Forcing a person in a wheelchair or someone who has one leg to pack their belongings every week, then move from one homeless camp to another doesn't solve any problem. This is just cruelty under the guise of a city policy," says Tom Stenson, Deputy Legal Director at Disability Rights Oregon. "A citation doesn't find anyone a home and putting people in jail because of their disabilities is not a good use of any government's resources."

Background

Following a June 2024 Supreme Court ruling in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the City enacted a new camping policy that allows individuals without housing to camp at two gravel lots for up to seven days. Every week, campers are forced to move nearly a mile from one site to the other, indefinitely, until they find permanent housing or leave the city.

Disability Rights Oregon wrote to Grants Pass on September 13 and shared concerns at the September 18 City Council meeting but has received nothing but silence in return. Concerns about the City's policy include:

• Under federal law, the City of Grants Pass is required to provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities, including in its homelessness policies. However, the City is not fulfilling its obligation under the law.

• Police officers are disregarding letters from physicians when campers with disabilities cannot relocate from one camp to another on a weekly basis.

• Grants Pass is criminalizing being homeless with a disability by issuing citations to, threatening, fining, and arresting people who are asking for reasonable accommodations because of their disability.

So far, City officials appear unwilling to listen to people with disabilities and reconsider current camping policies in Grants Pass. When the City was asked to speak with disability experts, City lawyers simply responded that their process is internal.

"We want to work collaboratively to develop a policy that reflects compassion and understanding of the complexities surrounding disability and homelessness," Stenson says. "Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has opportunities to live with dignity and security. We hope to hear from the City soon."

Resources

About

Disability Rights Oregon upholds the civil rights of people with disabilities to live, work and engage in the community. Serving as Oregon's federally mandated Protection & Advocacy system since 1977, the nonprofit works to transform systems, policies, and practices to give more people the opportunity to reach their full potential.