In the U.S. you can get a felony and 6 years in prison for sleeping in your car. For domestic assault, you only get a misdemeanor a maximum of 11 months in prison.
For many Americans, a vehicle is the last line of defense against sleeping on the streets. Yet, across the United States, local governments are rapidly enacting ordinances that outlaw vehicle residency and overnight parking.
From major hubs like San Francisco and Los Angeles to smaller municipalities like Colorado Springs, local authorities are expanding "camping bans" to target those sleeping in cars and even RVs.
These laws carry severe penalties, including steep fines, misdemeanor charges, immediate vehicle impoundment, and sometimes even a felony. For individuals turning to their cars as a temporary safety net, a single citation can trigger a cycle of debt and legal trouble that makes escaping homelessness nearly impossible.
The nationwide wave of criminalization has intensified following the landmark 2024 Supreme Court decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which ruled that penalizing people for sleeping in public does not violate the Eighth Amendment.
This ruling gave cities broad authority to enforce camping bans, even in areas with severe shelter shortages.
In Tennessee, you can get a Class E felony for sleeping in your car and up to 6 years in prison. Domestic assault is just a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 11 months in prison. In fact, you can’t be charged with a felony for domestic assault until your THIRD TIME.
While municipal leaders argue these measures keep public spaces clean and safe, civil rights advocates warn they criminalize survival. Instead of addressing the systemic shortage of affordable housing, these ordinances penalize working-class Americans who are simply priced out of the rental market.
source: American Civil Liberties Union. (2026). Two Years Since Grants Pass: Tracking the Criminalization of Homelessness.
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