As the number of people experiencing\u2002homelessness\u2002increases\u00a0across the country, more cities and states have passed laws making it illegal to live out of tents and cars\u00a0or sleep in public spaces.
\nMore than 100 jurisdictions\u00a0have had such bans on the books for years,\u00a0according to the National Homelessness Law Center.\u00a0In recent months,\u00a0high-profile measures have been approved targeting homelessness in many western U.S. cities\u00a0and across entire states.
\nFederal data shows\u00a0582,462 people were experiencing homelessness\u00a0on a single night in January 2022.\u00a0Experts warn more people will enter homelessness\u00a0as\u00a0housing costs increase, as has been the case for decades\u00a0in cities such as\u00a0New York\u00a0and in much of California.
\nIf visible, unsheltered homelessness continues to grow, city leaders will\u00a0have an easier\u00a0time passing measures advocates say criminalize basic\u00a0needs such as\u00a0sleep and sheltering oneself, Eric Tars, legal director for\u00a0the National Homelessness Law Center, told USA TODAY.
\n“The danger is that the worse the housing situation gets, the more\u00a0people we see on the streets, the more will be the push for these punitive policies,” Tars said.
\nThese\u00a0states and cities have passed laws making it illegal to live in tents or sleep on public property:
\nMissouri bans sleeping in parks
\nOn Jan.\u00a01, a\u00a0statewide ban\u00a0on sleeping on state-owned land took effect in Missouri, making it a misdemeanor to sleep\u00a0in public spaces such as\u00a0parks or under bridges.
\nExperts say Missouri’s law\u00a0is concerning\u00a0because it covers the state and adds pressure on top of municipal bans.<\/p>\n