Trump's occupation of Washington, D.C., would house the city's entire homeless population

USA, 29 August - Last week, when Trump federalized the police force in Washington, D.C., and deployed the National Guard to take control of its streets, one of his main orders was to "eliminate vagrancy" by destroying homeless encampments and forcibly arresting and relocating those who sought refuge there.

However, according to an investigation published on Wednesday by Hanna Homestead of the National Priorities Project, in collaboration with The Intercept, deploying the National Guard and "getting rid of marginalized neighborhoods" is costing far more than simply providing housing for all the city's homeless residents.

Governors from six U.S. states have sent troops to Washington to assist with Trump's efforts, bringing the total number to nearly 2,100 soldiers who will soon be patrolling the city.

Previous reports indicated that National Guard deployments cost the U.S. government approximately $530 per member per day. Using this figure, Homestead estimated the total cost at just over $1.1 million.

She added that "the number of troops is likely to keep rising. And without a set end date for the deployment in D.C., these costs could accumulate over months or even years."

According to the most recent data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), around 5,600 people experience homelessness in Washington, D.C., every night, with or without shelter. Providing affordable housing for each of them would cost an average of about $45.44 per person per day in the city.

Providing housing for all homeless individuals in D.C. would amount to roughly $255,166, which is 4.3 times less than the military deployment costs under Trump.

"Taxpayers like you and me bear the cost of this cruel appropriation of power," Homestead stated. "This militarized expenditure comes at the expense of federal programs like public housing, which actually help prevent crime and improve health and educational outcomes."

Last week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed the media that more than 70 camps had been dismantled since Trump ordered the federalization of the police. She also reported that over 600 people had been arrested, though she did not specify how many were homeless.

Trump has attempted to conflate homelessness with criminality, suggesting that the nation's capital has been "invaded by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roaming mobs of wild youth, drug maniacs, and homeless individuals."

While his solution has been a show of military force against people with nowhere to go, extensive research indicates that a "Housing First" approach—providing stable housing without preconditions such as sobriety or treatment—reduces crime.

A 2021 UCLA study found that offering targeted housing assistance to homeless individuals decreased their likelihood of offending by 80%.

"Arresting or fining people simply for sleeping outdoors worsens homelessness, wastes taxpayers’ money, and is ineffective," said Jesse Rabinowitz from the National Center for Law and Homelessness. "The solution to homelessness is housing and support, not handcuffs and jail."

Beyond repression, the Trump administration is also pushing to cut federal funding for public housing. The proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 significantly reduces funding for HUD’s Continuum of Care program, which provides cities with resources for homeless housing initiatives.

According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, this proposal would effectively eliminate funding for permanent supportive housing for 170,000 residents and could increase homelessness in the U.S. by 36%.

"Arresting people solely because they are homeless is inhumane and unjust," declared Amber W. Harding, executive director of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. "It’s especially cruel knowing that federal and local housing programs have suffered drastic cuts and that Washington, D.C., lacks adequate shelter capacity."

"Fines, arrests, and camp evictions only worsen homelessness, traumatize our neighbors experiencing homelessness further, and disconnect them from community and support," stated Dana White, Director of Advocacy at Miriam’s Kitchen, a D.C.-based organization serving homeless individuals. "If police could solve homelessness, there wouldn’t be any homeless people here in D.C. or anywhere else in the country." (Text and Photo: Cubadebate)