This website is dedicated to the passage of a California Homeless Bill of Rights. It is without question that homeless persons suffer and incur discrimination, hardships, burdens and the deprivation of constitutionally protected rights solely because of their status as being without a home. These discriminations, hardships, burdens and deprivations of rights are not imposed on persons who have a home. It is for these reasons that the state of Rhode Island has enacted its own Homeless Bill of Rights of which the California Bill is patterned after.
"A recent report by the US Interagency Council on Homelessness blasted the national wave of out-of-sight-out-of-mind laws affecting many of the country's roughly 643,000 street folk: "Criminalization policies further marginalize men and women who are experiencing homelessness, fuel inflammatory attitudes, and may even unduly restrict constitutionally protected liberties."
Just as persons of a specific race, religious creed, color, national origin, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sex, age, sexual orientation, etc.. required legislation to obtain equal rights and equal protections to that of the greater society, it is necessary to enact legislation specifically identifying homeless persons as having equal rights to persons who have homes and that of the greater society.
This bill of rights prohibits police, healthcare workers, landlords or employers from treating homeless people unfairly because of their housing status.
If you believe that homeless persons should have equal rights to persons who have homes and that of the greater society please sign this petition which will provide equal rights to homeless persons by enacting legislation, the "HOMELESS BILL OF RIGHTS."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION.
This petition is not requiring that the specific legislation being proposed here be enacted by members of the California Legislature, but that either this specific legislation be enacted or something very similar to it ensuring that homeless people are not deprived of the rights and privileges that all other citizens receive simply because of their housing status.
This bill of rights is not asking for or granting special or extra rights not granted to any other person or group of persons, it is asking and requiring that the state enforce homeless persons' existing rights guaranteed by the California and U.S. Constitutions by specifically identifying homeless persons as having those rights.
Presently, homeless persons who are discriminated against and suffer damages lack the financial resources and other means to affect relief the losses incurred as a result of discrimination due to their housing status.
This bill will send a message that discrimination against the homeless is illegal, and gives homeless people a way to ensure their rights are protected and a means to provide relief of damages incurred.