Legal Question in Constitutional Law in California
Homeless rights
I claim violation of the equal protection clause because I was treated differently from other homeless people. I was treated from the penalty side of the law while other homeless are given housing.
I claim violation of the equal protection clause because homeless people sleep every day in their vehicles within one block of the police station.
I claim violation of the equal protection clause because police regularly sleep in their vehicles behind Heidi's Pies in tghe early morning hours--not in ''hot pursuit.''
I claim I am also protected under Secion 1 of the California Constitution in that I was defending my life and obtaining security by staying in a vehicle.
I claim the law is vague and does not say what it means. It denies the right to ''sleep'' in a vehicle when what it means is ''live'' in a vehicle.
I claim no determination was made as to my status as ''sleeping'' before following a punitive course of action.
I claim that denying me the right to live in my vehicle denies me a right to my livelihood because savings money has to be diverted to housing. Since I live on a fixed income, paying for housing reduces by more than 50% the amount I can save for my future.
I claim that the police, by repeatedly MORE
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Homeless rights
I agree with you. If you have no place else to sleep, and you are legally parked, you should be able to sleep in your car. If you lived near me, I would very likely take your case and file a federal civil rights lawsuit.
Surely there must be a lawyer in your area who feels the same way. Try the ACLU or other public interest legal aid organization. Good luck!