The Trump administration announced a historic 6.3% decrease in national homelessness, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 2026 Point-in-Time count. The figures indicate that 698,425 individuals were homeless on a single night in January 2026, marking the largest decline since President Trump took office.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner attributed the reduction to the administration's border enforcement, its "Treatment First" approach to homelessness, and a recent Supreme Court decision that affirmed local governments' authority to address encampments. "Under the Biden Administration’s Housing First mandate, homelessness increased 28% from 2022 to 2025. This is why HUD is dispensing with this harmful approach and implementing Treatment First policies to help Americans tackle addiction," the agency stated.
The administration is shifting away from the long-standing federal "Housing First" model, which prioritizes providing shelter without mandating treatment for addiction, in favor of its "Treatment First" framework. This new approach emphasizes addressing substance abuse and connecting individuals with care. President Trump signed an executive order in July 2025 directing federal agencies to adopt this strategy and intensify efforts to combat homelessness, crime, and disorder in public spaces.
However, the trend does not extend to California's largest cities. Los Angeles County reported an estimated 73,040 homeless residents in 2026, a 1.2% increase from the previous year. The city of Los Angeles specifically saw its homeless population rise by 3.4% to 45,194, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Secretary Turner also criticized sanctuary policies in states like California, New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts, suggesting that the influx of undocumented immigrants contributes to the homelessness crisis. The federal announcement comes shortly after significant Republican losses in the midterm elections, a period during which Trump also replaced his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, with Stephen Miller, a proponent of stringent immigration policies.