Housing Services & Homelessness in DC

August 11, 2025

Community members, advocates, and supporters:

Today President Trump officially invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, placing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under direct federal control as part of a "historic" effort to combat crime in the nation’s capital. Part of this effort includes removing unhoused individuals from the streets of DC – with no apparent plan on where they can go, how they will get there, and what other treatments and considerations might be necessary.

During a year when the crime rate in the District is at a 30-year low and homelessness is down 12% since 2020, this news is alarming to New Endeavors by Women (NEW) and our partner organizations, raising concerns for the ongoing safety of women in the District in need of help and support during times of personal crisis.

Homelessness is one of the most challenging obstacles a person can face, and resources to support those seeking help to gain stability and provide for themselves are often difficult to access due to budget cuts, limitations on who qualifies for care, and high demand. For individuals with overlapping challenges like mental health, substance use disorder, and chronic illness, accessing support is even harder. NEW understands the unique barriers facing unhoused women and their children – these federal actions make it harder for service providers to help unhoused individuals in DC and neglect to tackle the root causes of homelessness.

Infringing on DC’s home rule by co-opting the Metropolitan Police Department and bringing in the National Guard to remove the unhoused is a dangerous and troubling move on the part of this administration. Without a plan for care and support, without respect for individual dignity and due process for the rights of District residents, our most vulnerable neighbors are in danger of being treated in ways that violate their civil rights and jeopardize their ability to find housing stability.

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If you are experiencing homelessness or housing instability in the District of Columbia, please call the DC Homelessness Services Hotline at 202-399-709.

For more information on the July 24, 2025 Executive Order on Homelessness and what that means for service providers like NEW, read this helpful blog post from The Alliance to End Homelessness.