NRCIL camping out in Watertown and Lowville in support of homelessness issues

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – The Northern Regional Center for Independent Living is camping out at both their Watertown and Lowville offices in support of homeless people.

The event started on Monday and will last through Friday, April 26 at the 210 Court Street office in Watertown and the 5520 Jackson Street location in Lowville. This is a demonstration against the criminalization of homelessness, which is being heard by the Supreme Court.

The nation’s highest court is hearing the case of City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson. A press release from NRCIL said this is the most significant Supreme Court case about the rights of people experiencing homelessness in decades. The Supreme Court will determine whether a local government can arrest or fine people for sleeping outside when adequate shelter is not available.

The release stated that “criminalization is not a solution to homelessness. This response to homelessness will simply make things increasingly more difficult for individuals experiencing homelessness to access the affordable housing, health services, and employment necessary to exit homelessness.”

NRCIL and the Mental Health Association of Jefferson County have collaborated with community members in support of a more humanitarian approach to homelessness. The organizations invite the public to bring tents and sleeping bags and camp out with the community in front of the NRCIL offices in Watertown and Lowville.

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