Property Rights and Homeless Shelters—What Has the Supreme Court Said?
How one local government board is trying to stop people from helping the homeless—and what the law says about whether they can
Podcast (deep-dive): Play in new window | Download
The Catherine H. Barber Memorial Homeless Shelter is the only option for people experiencing temporary homelessness in all of Wilkes County, North Carolina. It’s been serving the community there for more than 30 years, and its record is exemplary. But when the shelter tried to apply for a permit for a new building in an ideal location (near businesses and public transit but far from residential areas) their application was rejected, even though the shelter met all the town’s requirements. In this episode we discuss the situation, and how—and whether—the Constitution applies to local zoning boards issuing permits.
Recent Episodes
To Serve, Protect, and...Fish for Cash? Bogus Traffic Stops Violate 4th Amendment
On a typical day, police officers pull over more than 50,000 drivers. If you’ve had a recent encounter with police, chances are good it was […]
Listen NowSpeaking for a Living and the First Amendment
The freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment is a foundational and cherished right that sets America apart from other constitutional democracies. Many […]
Listen NowWill the Supreme Court Finally Curb Civil Forfeiture? Maybe.
As our listeners probably know, civil forfeiture is legal practice that lets the government take and keep your property by claiming it’s connected to a […]
Listen NowSWAT Raids are Out of Control
Imagine a SWAT team raids a house—battering doors, breaking windows, and coating everything inside with tear gas residue. Now imagine the SWAT team had the […]
Listen Now