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Long Beach 'Homeless Court' Aims To Put People Back On Track For Permanent Housing
The scales of justice. (Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash)
The city of Long Beach is launching a pilot program to help homeless people clean up their legal records.
The Long Beach Homeless Court will help them resolve minor infractions and outstanding misdemeanors and direct them to counseling services and, ultimately, paths to permanent housing.
The program will be open to unhoused people with open cases or warrants within the city's justice system, said City Prosecutor Doug Haubert, who added that it could also help expunge some long-standing convictions.
"We do not have a list of cases that are excluded, so in theory any case could be considered for Homeless Court," he said. "But we're particularly looking at cases that are the result of being homeless: such as vagrancy, trespass, sometimes vandalism and drug possession."
Haubert said some convictions can be dismissed outright, though clearing up other cases may require entering a plea and agreeing to go into counseling.
How To Get Help
Homeless Courts is held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 1301 W. 12th St. Register here.
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