Homelessness dropped last year, but HUD chief blames 'housing first' for long-term rise

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported a 3% decrease in homelessness in 2025, with 745,652 people experiencing homelessness nationwide, including 266,320 living on the streets. Secretary Scott Turner attributed the decline to reduced immigration pressures in sanctuary cities like New York and Chicago, which saw drops of 12,500 and 11,300 homeless individuals, respectively. However, Turner criticized 'housing first' policies, arguing they failed to address underlying issues like addiction or mental illness, and blamed them for a 27% rise in homelessness since 2013. HUD’s annual report, based on a January 2025 point-in-time count, found 56% of homeless individuals in emergency shelters, 33% unsheltered, and 8% in transitional housing. Homeless veterans declined by 56% since 2009 but saw only a 1% drop last year. Nearly 25% of homeless people were children or young adults under 24. Turner announced HUD’s shift back to 'continuum of care' programs, prioritizing recovery and self-sufficiency over housing-only solutions. He wrote in *The Hill* that 'housing first' policies treated free housing as the sole answer without tackling root causes. Recovery advocate Tom Wolf acknowledged immigration declines as a factor in the 3% drop but emphasized the broader 27% increase over a decade, calling for deeper systemic solutions. Critics argue the 3% decline is negligible compared to the long-term trend. Wolf noted that drug overdose deaths among the homeless may also contribute to fluctuations. HUD’s report suggests immigration policies indirectly influenced homelessness trends, though the Trump-era crackdown was still unfolding during the data collection period.