As homelessness in the United States reaches historic levels, a new bill introduced in Congress aims to end the criminalization of people living without shelter. The Housing Not Handcuffs Act, led by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL), directly responds to a wave of anti-homeless legislation across the country that followed the Supreme Court’s Johnson v. Grants Pass decision. The bill is the first of its kind to prohibit federal agencies from arresting or punishing people for being unhoused and is backed by dozens of advocacy organizations.
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Bill Introduced as Crisis Deepens
The Housing Not Handcuffs Act was introduced on June 26, 2025, in the Capitol Visitors Center. It comes at a time when homelessness is worsening across the country, and nearly half of renters spend more than they can afford on housing. The legislation prohibits federal agencies from arresting, ticketing, or criminalizing people solely for being homeless. According to the bill’s sponsors, the goal is to replace harmful policies with housing-based solutions.
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Surge in Anti-Homeless Laws Post-SCOTUS Ruling
The legislation follows the Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v. Grants Pass, issued one year ago. Since that ruling, at least 320 laws have been proposed or passed to criminalize homelessness. Representative Frost emphasized that in his own district alone, numerous such bills have been enacted. Advocates argue these measures do nothing to solve homelessness and instead worsen the problem by adding criminal records that create further housing barriers.
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Advocates Say Punishment Is Not a Solution
Supporters of the bill argue that punishing unhoused individuals only perpetuates a cycle of poverty and exclusion. Jesse Rabinowitz, Director of the Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign, said the legislation is a necessary response to roll back laws that treat poverty as a crime. Cynthia W. Roseberry of the ACLU added that these laws are costly and ineffective, and that compassion-based housing policies are the only real path forward.
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Rising Costs, Fewer Solutions
Lawmakers backing the bill argue that the current system fails to provide relief amid a worsening affordability crisis. Representative Jayapal noted that it is impossible to afford rent anywhere in the U.S. on minimum wage. She said fines and arrests only push people deeper into homelessness. Wesley Thomas, who lived unhoused in Washington, DC for nearly three decades, spoke of his personal experience with police abuse, underscoring the urgency of the bill.
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Opposition to Criminalization Grows
The bill has been endorsed by nearly 50 advocacy groups, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, American Civil Liberties Union, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Low-Income Housing Coalition, and the National Homelessness Law Center. Margaret Huang of SPLC called the wave of anti-homeless laws a modern-day continuation of vagrancy laws rooted in racial and economic oppression.
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Advocates Call for Investment, Not Policing
Several speakers, including Ann Oliva of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, criticized recent federal budget proposals that cut homelessness funding while increasing policing. They stressed that public investment should focus on permanent housing, services, and income support instead of law enforcement. According to the bill’s backers, redirecting resources toward housing-first solutions is more cost-effective and humane.
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Local Governments Still Lag Behind
Advocates from communities like Grants Pass, Oregon, say their local governments have made little progress since the Supreme Court gave them broader authority to criminalize homelessness. Helen Cruz, a local advocate with lived experience, reported that Grants Pass still has no low-barrier shelter, and the city council remains focused on enforcement instead of solutions. The bill has been co-sponsored by Representatives from across the country, including Reps. Ansasri (AZ), Garcia (TX), Johnson (GA), Lee (PA), McGovern (MA), Holmes Norton (DC), Ramirez (IL), Schakowsky (IL), Thanedar (MI), Tlaib (MI), and Velázquez (NY).
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