Major Shift in Homelessness Policy: Mandatory Treatment and Public Order Enforcement.
This Act fundamentally changes the approach to homelessness, moving away from "Housing First" policies toward mandatory institutional treatment (hospitals or asylums) for unhoused individuals deemed unable to care for themselves. It prioritizes federal funding for states that strictly enforce prohibitions on public drug use, urban camping, and squatting, and makes housing assistance conditional on participation in mental health or substance abuse treatment.
Key points
End of "Housing First": Federal support shifts away from policies that provide housing without preconditions, favoring models that require treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency.
Easier Civil Commitment: Procedures are streamlined to allow for the involuntary commitment and institutional treatment of unhoused individuals who pose risks or cannot care for themselves.
Increased Enforcement: Federal grants prioritize cities that actively ban public drug use, urban camping, loitering, and squatting, increasing police action in public spaces.
Funding Changes: Federal funds are redirected away from "harm reduction" programs (like safe consumption sites) toward evidence-based treatment and institutional care.
Introduced
Citizen Poll