Washington D.C. – The Trump administration has unveiled a significant shift in its approach to homelessness, emphasizing mandatory treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues, alongside civil commitment, as a pathway to self-sufficiency. This new direction is encapsulated in an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on July 24, 2025, titled "Ending Crime and Disorder on American Streets." The order aims to redirect federal resources and encourage states and cities to move homeless individuals from public spaces into treatment facilities.
Scott Turner, the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), articulated the administration's stance on social media, stating, "It’s not compassionate to let our homeless brothers and sisters suffer on our streets with no pathway to self-sufficiency." He further added, "We cannot surrender our cities and citizens to illicit drug-induced disorder without addressing the root cause of substance abuse."
The executive order signals a departure from the "Housing First" model, which prioritizes providing stable housing without preconditions, by making treatment and sobriety a condition for federal housing assistance. Secretary Turner praised the executive order as reflecting "a compassionate, commonsense approach by helping the homeless off the streets and into treatment centers, off of drugs and onto roads of recovery." This policy aims to empower law enforcement to clear encampments and facilitate the transfer of individuals into long-term institutional settings.
Critics, including the National Homelessness Law Center, have expressed concerns that the order could criminalize homelessness and violate civil liberties, arguing that forced treatment is unethical and ineffective. They contend that the safest communities are those with robust housing and support resources, not those that punish individuals for poverty or illness. Despite these concerns, the administration maintains that the executive order is a crucial step towards restoring public order and ensuring the well-being of both the homeless population and the broader community.
The move comes as the U.S. has seen a notable increase in homelessness, with the Department of Housing and Urban Development reporting 771,480 homeless persons in 2024, an 18% rise from the previous year. The Trump administration's new policy seeks to address this growing crisis by focusing on the root causes of addiction and mental illness, aiming for a more structured and enforced path to recovery and societal reintegration.