BOISE, ID – On Tuesday, a new law goes into effect that will criminalize homelessness in Idaho’s biggest cities.

Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 11-41 this session, prohibiting camping or sleeping in public places – including in cars.

The new law only applies to four cities with 100,000 people or more – Boise, Caldwell, Meridian and Nampa – and allows the attorney general to sue cities that don’t follow it.

Stephanie Day, executive director of the homeless services organization CATCH Idaho, said while legislators might expect this law encourages people to go to shelters, there are fewer than 600 beds available in Ada County and more than 2,000 people experiencing homelessness.

She said people typically stay near downtown Boise because that’s where they have access to food, medical appointments and case management services.

“Folks are talking about spreading out and going to other locations,” said Day. “So, it will be harder for them to access services and it will be harder for us, as a service provider that tries to help folks get connected to resources and get back into housing, to find them.”

Cities that fail to enforce the new law would be subject to civil penalties of up to $10,000. Day said since COVID, homelessness numbers have skyrocketed in the Treasure Valley, in part due to the rising cost of living in the region.

The anti-camping law is going into effect as cities like Boise typically see a rise in homelessness numbers during the summer. Wildfire season is also around the corner and Day said that’s another challenge.

“All the folks that will be living outdoors,” said Day, “because we don’t have alternatives, not because they’re choosing this – will be exposed to that.”

Day noted that homelessness is a national crisis and that it impacts everyone in a community. She said the issue is a measure of the health of a community.

“We know what we need to do to end homelessness,” said Day. “We need to have housing and, sometimes, support services that come alongside that housing. The only thing that’s keeping us back from ending homelessness is getting enough people moving in the same direction. It just comes down to a matter of will.”