Homelessness is a growing issue across America and right here in the Tampa Bay Area. Now it is a focus of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Deep in the woods just outside of Winter Haven, are a cluster of tents and tarps. There are 46 people that live in this homeless encampment, including Brandy C. who has been there for five years.
“I just made a mistake and I’ve been stuck here since. I’m trying to fix it and I can’t,” said Brandy.
The 32-year-old said the homeless camp is not the safest environment, but it is somewhere she can lay her head at night, yet it could be taken away.
“They tell us, ‘y’all know y’all fixing to have to leave.’ We’re like, so where do we go?” said Brandy.
The Supreme Court is considering whether cities can ban unhoused people from sleeping outside and issue fines or arrest them for doing so.
It’s the most significant case dealing with homelessness before the high court in decades.
It comes amid a rise in homelessness in the U.S. and a growing number of encampments. People living in homeless camps say they shouldn’t be punished just for sleeping outside.