Democrats in California want to clear homeless encampments in public areas. So they convinced the conservative US Supreme Court to take up the case.

• The Supreme Court will weigh in on a case that could upend homelessness policy across the US.
• At issue is whether cities can ban homeless individuals from sleeping or camping in public areas.
• In an unusual twist, California Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the conservative-led Supreme Court to hear the case.

In what is an unusual situation, a consortium of liberal politicians had asked the conservative-leaning Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling that has kept them from sweeping public homeless encampments.