The Trump administration announced that it is directing billions of dollars toward programs seeking to address homelessness by emphasizing recovery and self-sufficiency.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shared a $4.04 billion Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) through the Continuum of Care (CoC) homelessness assistance program. The funding will allow HUD to “support organizations that facilitate treatment and recovery and prohibit funding the widespread use of illicit drugs and distribution of paraphernalia,” the agency said.
“The ‘housing first’ experiment failed Americans by warehousing the vulnerable without results. This ideology promised to end homelessness. Instead, billions of taxpayer dollars were spent while homelessness increased to record levels. Housing alone will not solve a crisis driven by addiction and mental illness. Under President Trump’s leadership, HUD is making necessary reforms to put recovery first,” said Secretary Scott Turner.
The initiative aligns with an executive order signed by President Trump last year. According to the order, the federal government and states “have spent tens of billions of dollars on failed programs that address homelessness but not its root causes, leaving other citizens vulnerable to public safety threats.”
“Shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment will restore public order,” it says. “Surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor other citizens. My Administration will take a new approach focused on protecting public safety.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also taken steps to address homelessness, having announced a $100 million initiative to assist with preventing drug abuse earlier this year. The initiative, called The Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Supports Initiative (STREETS), funds “targeted outreach, psychiatric care, medical stabilization and crisis intervention, while connecting Americans experiencing homelessness and addiction to stable housing with a clear focus on long-term recovery and independence,” HHS explained.
