Standing in Solidarity with our Friends in D.C.

As we bear witness to the unjust, horrific treatment of people experiencing homelessness in Washington D.C., we are reminded of how essential this work is, now more than ever. The forced removal of individuals from the streets will do nothing to solve issues of homelessness. Housing and healthcare remain unaffordable and inaccessible. Essential, life-saving services remain out of reach for so many. It’s time for those in power to address root causes of homelessness rather than focus on ineffective and cruel strategies.

This takeover of D.C. comes on the heels of Trump's Executive Order on Homelessness from late July that encourages policing, involuntary commitment, and institutionalization as responses to homelessness, mental health, disabilities, and substance use. It also incentivizes states to treat homelessness as a crime.

In Tennessee, the state with the harshest anti-camping law in the country, we can say from firsthand experience how ineffective these strategies are to ending homelessness. We need to prioritize affordable housing for all and wraparound support services here in Tennessee, in D.C., and everywhere.

We stand in solidarity with our friends in D.C. and across the country who are fighting for justice in their communities. We are involved in conversations with our national partners and other agencies discussing how we can mobilize against these harmful strategies. We encourage you to lean in with us, to double down on your commitment to community and to solidarity.

The following resources provide updates and calls to action from those on the ground in D.C.:

• Street Sense Media

• National Homelessness Law Center