Homelessness has always been a controversial and misunderstood issue. And when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that punishing homeless people for sleeping on public property does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, reality for those experiencing homelessness got much tougher. In reaction to the decision, California’s governor ordered local officials to remove homeless encampments. In August, in an equally cruel move, the Springfield, Ohio City Council abruptly shut down a shelter, throwing 22 families (including 70 children) out on the street over a contract misunderstanding.