>> NOW TO A STORY. ABC SEVEN NEWS HAS BEEN FOLLOWING FOR MONTHS. THE SUPREME COURT COULD SOON DECIDE ONE OF ITS MOST SIGNIFICANT CASES ON HOMELESSNESS IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, ONE THAT COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT HERE IN THE BAY AREA. STARTING MONDAY, THE JUSTICES WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS IN THE CASE OF GRANTS PASS VERSUS JOHNSON. THE JUSTICES WILL DECIDE IF TICKETING THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS AMOUNTS TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT. ABC SEVEN NEWS REPORTER ANSER HASSAN HAS A LOOK AT THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CITIES HERE IN THE BAY AREA. >> HANDCUFFS WON'T FIX THE HOMELESS PROBLEMS. THE ADVOCATES LIKE JENNIFER FRIEDENBACH. >> THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SITUATION WHERE A TICKET LED SOMEBODY OFF THE STREETS. >> STARTING MONDAY, THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT WILL HEAR ARGUMENTS IN THE CASE GRANTS PASS BORIS JOHNSON. THE COURT WILL DECIDE IF TICKETING HOMELESS PEOPLE AMOUNTS TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT. >> WE DON'T WANT TO SEE CITIES, USING POLICE AND USING CRIMINALIZATION AND JAIL AS A WAY TO PUNISH HOMELESS PEOPLE FOR BEING HOMELESS. >> IF GRANT PASS WINS, HOMELESS PEOPLE COULD FACE PUNISHMENT FOR USING A BLANKET OR A TENT TO SLEEP ON STREETS. >> THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE NOTHING, NOTHING WILL CHANGE, AND THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITIES WHERE A LOT WILL CHANGE. >> DEVIN KURTZ IS WITH THE CICERO INSTITUTE, A THINK TANK FOCUSED ON DOMESTIC POLICY. HE SAYS IF THE SUPREME COURT RULES IN GRANTS PASS FAVOR, IT WOULD GIVE SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES MORE FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. >> I THINK THAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE THE ONES THAT YOU'LL SEE THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN, NOT NECESSARILY A PLACE LIKE LOS ANGELES OR SAN FRANCISCO. >> NISHA KASHYAP IS AN ATTORNEY WITH THE LAWYERS COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. IT FILED A FRIEND OF THE COURTS BRIEF IN THIS CASE FOCUSED IN PART ON CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS. >> THE RULING FROM THE SUPREME COURT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE TRUE SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS ARE HOUSING. >> BISHOP ARGUES THAT POLITICIANS TOO OFTEN BLAME THE COURT FOR WHAT ARE REALLY FAILURES OF HOUSING POLICY. SHE SAYS THE SUPREME COURT RULING WON'T PREVENT CITIES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO FROM FOLLOWING THROUGH ON REGULATIONS. ALREADY ON THE BOOKS. >> THE CITY ALREADY HAS POLICIES THAT REQUIRE IT TO OFFER SHELTER TO INDIVIDUALS PRIOR TO ANY TYPE OF ENFORCEMENT, TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS ARE MET WITH SERVICES AND HOUSING FIRST
