Displacement, health outcomes, and the human rights of people experiencing homelessness in the USA

The USA is currently experiencing multiple overlapping economic and public health crises: rising costs of housing, increased homelessness, and record drug overdose mortality. In many urban areas, people who are homeless have become increasingly visible, often congregating in so-called encampments. The public reaction and policy response to this increased visibility has been largely punitive and carceral. Jurisdictions across the USA have adopted policies of forced displacement, often carried out by law enforcement officers and sanitation workers, and enforced via threat of fines, arrest, or both. The widespread adoption of these policies—especially given the 2024 US Supreme Court decision (City of Grants Pass v Johnson)—represents a violation of international human rights law. Public health professionals should use the framework of international human rights to fight against these harmful policies.