It's been one year of Trump's federal takeover of DC, which has directly targeted homeless Washingtonians, acting as a test of the policies issued in Trump's anti-homeless Executive Order. Now, DC is less safe, homelessness hasn't been solved, and taxpayers have had to foot the bill. buff.ly/HLEnH4W

How Trump's D.C. takeover criminalizes homelessness : Code Switch

On August 11, President Trump announced his intention to "rescue" the nation's capital. A central feature of his plan involved using federal officials to remove people experiencing homelessness from…

npr.org

This week marks one year since the Trump's takeover of DC viciously targeting homeless Washingtonians. One year later, the results are clear: these attacks make solving homelessness harder, make DC less safe, and force us all to pay the price. buff.ly/EZPly4b

Trump’s DC takeover devastated homeless Washingtonians and served as national blueprint

This week marks one year since the Trump administration’s takeover of Washington, DC. Vicious attacks on homeless Washingtonians were and remain central to this takeover. One year later, the results…

homelesslaw.org

Trump issued his anti-homeless Executive Order one year ago. It's not a coincidence that DC, a historically Black city where the vast majority of unhoused people are Black, is where Trump first began testing his cruel and ineffective anti-homeless order. buff.ly/Yz2JSlF

Opinion: Trump’s Homelessness Executive Order Is Making Homelessness Worse

For a year, the White House has been waging an unprecedented and extreme attack on both people experiencing homelessness and the real solutions to homelessness

theroot.com

“By criminalizing the unavoidable trappings of extreme poverty, the ordinances penalize unhoused residents’ existence in any of the City’s public spaces,” the plaintiffs wrote in their filing. “That is not a choice. It is punishment for surviving. It is banishment for being poor.” buff.ly/BMgiUrk

ACLU asks Colorado Supreme Court to review Boulder camping ban ruling

Civil rights lawyers argue the Colorado Court of Appeals failed to independently interpret the state constitution when it upheld the ordinance and based its decision on “fiction” rather than the…

boulderreportinglab.org

Joseph Williams lived in a Nashville park for years—until he was arrested, tased, and charged with a felony for sleeping outside. After his arrest, with no where else to go, he returned to the same park. The only real solution to homelessness is housing, not handcuffs. buff.ly/EhTA7Y2

He Lived in an East Nashville Park for Years. Then, Tennessee Made His Survival a Crime

Across 14 states, new anti-camping laws effectively criminalize homelessness, punishing unhoused people with prison time and steep fines.

theroot.com

We're hiring! The Civil Rights Director will provide strategic leadership for the Law Center's legal, advocacy, & technical assistance work to end the criminalization of homelessness and advance the rights of people experiencing homelessness. Learn more: buff.ly/O8Mdh4B

NHLC Civil Rights Director

The Civil Rights Director will provide strategic leadership for the Law Center's legal, advocacy, and technical assistance work to end the criminalization of homelessness and advance the rights of people experiencing homelessness to access housing, public spaces, and essential services.

homelesslaw.org

BREAKING: We won! For the third time, the court ruled that Trump’s attacks on proven housing solutions are unlawful. Instead of weaponizing our tax dollars to push failed policies, it's time for the Trump admin to fund housing, not handcuffs. Our statement: buff.ly/lyvPzpB

District Court judge stops Trump’s attacks on homelessness programs, for third time

Hours ago, a Rhode Island District Court judge ruled, for the third time, that the Trump administration’s ideologically driven funding changes to vital homelessness programs are unlawful. The most…

homelesslaw.org

A year after it was implemented, Idaho's anti-homeless law has only made life harder for people living outside. "The effectiveness of the law remains unclear as records show that almost 50% of tickets were issued to repeat offenders—often in the same location on different days." buff.ly/ayw9Zom

An Idaho law penalizes people sleeping in public spaces. Advocates say it harms more than it helps. • Idaho Capital Sun

On the afternoon of June 22, Neil “Lee” Spring was sitting in Rhodes Skate Park with a friend when officers from the Boise Police Department approached him. “We’re going to give you a ticket for…

idahocapitalsun.com

WATCH: Last week, we unpacked the consequences of Trump's anti-homeless Executive Order, one year later, along with @repmarktakano @repdeliaramirez @repmaxwellfrost and advocates in homelessness, mental health, and drug policy. buff.ly/IB7QJlI

Trump's Anti-Homeless Executive Order: One Year Later - Housing Not Handcuffs Webinar

On July 24, 2025, Trump signed a deeply harmful Executive Order (EO) outlining his administration’s shift away from real solutions to homelessness, like housing and support, and towards taking away…

youtu.be

"Just because someone is homeless...doesn't give anybody the right to take them and punish them just for not having a place to go. It's not fixing the problem, it's making it worse," said Shaina Bessonet, who testified against Louisiana's new extreme anti-homeless law.

Trump policy clears way for civil commitment of homeless in some states

In the year since President Trump signed an executive order aimed at moving homeless people off the streets, states have expanded involuntary treatment for the homeless.

cbsnews.com

REPORT: Criminalizing homelessness, poverty, and mental illness isn't new, and has never solved anything in this country. In fact, it pushes people further away from the housing and supportive services we all need to thrive. buff.ly/nMVA1TN

Criminalization of Homelessness and Mental Health in the United States

This report examines the current policies which enable the criminalization of homelessness and mental health, violations of international human rights standards, and potential evidence-based alternatives to provide mental health support to unhoused individuals.

homelesslaw.org

One year later, Trump's anti-homeless Executive Order has been making homelessness worse all across the country. Thursday, 7/30: Join us for a national conversation on the consequences of the Executive Order and how we're fighting back. Register at bit.ly/EOanniversary.

It's been one year since Trump issued his anti-homeless Executive Order, and since then, the administration has used it as a blueprint for far reaching policy changes that are harming our communities and making homelessness worse. Our statement: buff.ly/Ceniduw

We're hiring! The Senior Litigation Counsel – Federal Response will direct the Law Center's federal response litigation, exercising strategic oversight over the federal litigation docket, staffing, work assignments, budget, and case selection. See the full job posting: buff.ly/QRJn72z

We're Hiring - Senior Litigation Counsel, Federal Response

The Senior Litigation Counsel – Federal Response will direct the Law Center's federal response litigation, exercising strategic oversight over the federal litigation docket, staffing, work assignments, budget, and case selection

homelesslaw.org

This week marks one year since Trump issued his anti-homeless Executive Order. Since then, the admin has used it as a blueprint for making homelessness worse. Join us Thursday 7/30 @ 3:30-5 PM ET for a conversation on the EO's consequences and how we can fight back. Register: buff.ly/YS87gHM

Joseph Williams was charged with a felony for experiencing homelessness. He ended up back in the same park, but now with a record that will make it even harder to find housing "Jail erodes every aspect of a person's agency," said Lindsey Krinks of Open Table Nashville. buff.ly/IzgiPoY

A homeless man was charged with a felony for camping. He's one of the first

When Joseph Lamont Williams refused to leave the public park where he has lived for years, he was charged with a felony. Camping bans are on the rise as states seek to crack down on homelessness.

npr.org

REPORT: The Cicero Institute, a right-wing think tank that has pushed anti-homeless laws across the country, has “deep financial connections to industries poised to profit from the very same anti-homeless policies peddled by the Cicero Institute’s lobbyists." buff.ly/vsQzjZV

Cicero Institute Linked to Firms Profiting from Criminalizing Homelessness - Davis Vanguard

The National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC) issued a research brief asserting that the Cicero Institute, a conservative policy organization, maintains extensive financial ties to sectors poised to…

davisvanguard.org

More than 60% of Americans can't afford the basic costs of living. It's simple: more people are being forced to sleep outside because housing is unaffordable & the rent is too damn high. We won't solve homelessness until politicians accept reality & invest in housing, not handcuffs. buff.ly/1Q0Ogvp

Most Americans don't earn enough to afford basic costs of living, analysis finds

The bottom 60% of U.S. households don't make enough money to afford a "minimal quality of life," according to a new analysis.

cbsnews.com

Tech bro billionaires have no business coming into our communities to profit off the suffering of our homeless neighbors. But Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale is doing just that. Our report details the connections between Lonsdale, anti-homeless laws, prisons, & surveillance tech. buff.ly/0s6qatl

"We, the North Carolina chapter of the National Union of the Homeless, condemn the legislature’s proposed camping ban bill as dangerous to our lives and an affront to our human rights. Rather than providing housing we can afford... this bill makes us criminals. We aren’t criminals."

NC Homeless Union: Proposed 'unauthorized camping' ban cruel, dangerous • NC Newsline

Rather than providing housing we can afford, or unlocking the vast amount of vacant corporate real estate being held hostage, this bill makes us criminals. We aren’t criminals.

ncnewsline.com

The criminalization of homelessness has accelerated nationwide in the past two years since #JohnsonVGrantsPass. Meanwhile, homeless people have been losing touch with outreach workers, losing essential items, and still stuck on the streets - in the same or new locations. Read more:

'Look, there’s nowhere else to go': Inside California’s crackdown on homeless camps

Last year, California cities gained more power to ban homeless encampments. CalMatters dug into what that looks like in three cities.

calmatters.org

No one should be punished for being forced to sleep outside. No one should be punished for trying to help those who need it. That's why Phoenix is being sued again: for trying to criminalize the act of helping our homeless neighbors. www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/phoenix...

Phoenix sued again over parks ordinance restricting homeless aid

Circle the City and Valle del Sol are taking Phoenix to court over the ordinance, claiming it violates the First Amendment.

phoenixnewtimes.com

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own community—regardless of if they can afford rent or where they're from. This ANTI-ICE hub includes resources to protect unhoused & immigrant neighbors, guidance for service providers & businesses, & KYR cards.

ICE Raid Resources - Housing Not Handcuffs

View ICE raids resources, including what to do before, during, and after a raid, know your rights materials, messaging guidance and more.

housingnothandcuffs.org

We join the Alliance for Rights and Recovery in condemning the DOJ's recent attacks on the Olmstead Mandate, one of the most important civil rights protections for people with disabilities. For more info and to learn how you can take action, see the Alliance's statement:

Alliance Condemns Department of Justice Attack on Olmstead Mandate! - The Alliance for Rights and Recovery

Alliance for Rights and Recovery’s Statement onDOJ Memo Attacking the Olmstead Integration Mandate The Alliance for Rights and Recovery strongly condemns the U.S. Department of Justice Office of…

rightsandrecovery.org

Two years ago, Grants Pass, Oregon gained national attention during #JohnsonVGrantsPass, when SCOTUS effectively made it a crime to sleep outside. Two years later, things have gone from bad to worse for the city's homeless communities. Read more: housingnothandcuffs.org/2026/06/24/0...

Two years since Johnson v. Grants Pass, things have gone from bad to worse

During the Johnson v. Grants Pass Supreme Court case, the city was the subject of intense national focus. After the court effectively made it a crime to sleep outside in America, people stopped…

housingnothandcuffs.org

NEW: We're mapping out the recent rise of anti-homeless laws all across the country. In just two years since #JohnsonVGrantsPass, 350+ cities have passed laws that make it a crime to be homeless, instead of investing in proven housing solutions. View the map here: buff.ly/p1Jd9bp

NEW: June 28th marks 2 years since #JohnsonVGrantsPass. Since then, 350+ cities, 14 states, and the Trump administration have criminalized homelessness and moved further away from making housing more affordable. homelesslaw.org/06252026stat...

Two years since Grants Pass ruling, 350+ cities, 14 states, and the Trump administration have criminalized homelessness

In the two years since the Grants Pass decision to criminalize homelessness, over 350 cities and 14 states have passed laws making it a crime to be homeless. The ripple effects of this decision have…

homelesslaw.org

"With Cicero’s involvement with and support of the for-profit prison model and companies like The GEO Group, advocates worry they treat homelessness like a crime without caring about proven solutions."

Both local and national organizations protest Cicero Institute policy conference - Street Sense Media

Housing advocates protested against the Homelessness Policy Conference hosted by conservative think tank The Cicero Institute.

streetsensemedia.org

We're suing to stop the Trump administration from forcing at least 97,000 people back into homelessness and imposing its ideological agenda on cities across the country. Our full statement: buff.ly/zjVSI6Q

Coalition Challenges Latest Efforts to Politicize Homelessness Funding Grants - National Homelessness Law Center

Today, the National Homelessness Law Center and our partners took legal action to stop the Trump-Vance administration’s attack on proven solutions to homelessness. This extreme rewriting of funding...

homelesslaw.org

BREAKING: Louisiana Gov. Landry has signed one of the cruelest anti-homeless bills in the country into law. HB211 will make it a crime to sleep outside, punishing homeless people with extreme fines and jail, while also setting the stage for forced treatment and even forced labor. buff.ly/f1BBIIZ

Louisiana Governor signs one of the country's cruelest anti-homeless laws

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed one of the cruelest anti-homeless bills in the country into law. HB 211 will make it a crime to sleep outside in Louisiana, punishing homeless people with…

housingnothandcuffs.org