SEATTLE, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — “This is a decisive step toward dramatically reducing homelessness across the United States,” says Robert Marbut, former Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness under both the Trump and Biden administrations, and Senior Fellow with the Institute’s long running Fix Homelessness initiative focused on the root causes of homelessness.
This Executive Order initiates the rollback of the federal government’s failed, one-size-fits-all Housing First mandate — an experimental approach that has led to a 34% rise in homelessness since its implementation by the Obama administration. The most recent Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), issued by the Biden Administration in December 2024, revealed that unsheltered “street-level” homelessness is rising at a pace that would double the crisis every 5-6 years without urgent reform.
“President Trump understands what frontline providers and communities have long understood that the homelessness crisis is not just about housing,” says Marbut. “Lasting solutions must address the underlying root causes of homelessness, including addiction, untreated mental illness, and, for many women, the trauma of domestic violence.”
By rejecting the failed orthodoxy of permanent housing with no requirements for sobriety or engagement, President Trump is championing a more compassionate, effective approach — one that supports recovery, employment, and long-term independence. Discovery Institute applauds the President’s commitment to offering real opportunities for individuals to rebuild their lives — physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
For more information on real solutions to the national homelessness crisis, read our report prepared for Congress.
Discovery Institute is a non-profit educational and research organization whose mission is to advance a culture of purpose, creativity, and innovation with programs in areas such as economics, education, technology, bioethics, and artificial intelligence.
SOURCE Discovery Institute
