Trump administration touts historic drop in homelessness as HUD scraps Biden-era policies

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The Trump administration is touting a historic drop in homelessness nationwide — but California’s biggest city is bucking the trend.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Friday that homelessness had recorded its largest-ever decline, crediting President Trump’s border crackdown and push to replace the Biden-era approach to housing with policies focused on addiction treatment.

“According to data from the 2026 nationwide Point-in-Time (PIT) count, 698,425 individuals were homeless on a single night in January, a 6.3% decrease since President Trump took office in 2025. This follows historic border control and a Supreme Court victory reaffirming the right of local governments to limit dangerous encampments,” HUD said.

But California’s homelessness crisis is moving in the opposite direction.

Los Angeles County recorded an estimated 73,040 homeless residents in 2026, a 1.2% increase, while the city of Los Angeles saw its homeless population jump 3.4% to 45,194, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

“Under the Biden Administration’s Housing First mandate, homelessness increased 28% from 2022 to 2025. This is why HUD is dispensing with this harmful approach and implementing Treatment First policies to help Americans tackle addiction,” the agency added.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner also took aim at the Biden administration’s immigration policies, accusing illegal immigrants of contributing to homelessness and criticizing sanctuary policies in states including California, New York, Illinois and Massachusetts.

The Trump administration is moving away from the longstanding federal “Housing First” model, which prioritizes providing shelter without requiring people to first undergo addiction treatment, in favor of its “Treatment First” framework, which emphasizes addressing substance abuse and connecting people with care.

Trump signed an executive order in July 2025 directing federal agencies to pursue the new approach and crack down on homelessness, crime and disorder in public spaces.

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The federal announcement also lands amid a turbulent week for Washington Republicans, just days after Democrats scored major victories in the midterm elections.

Trump also fired chief of staff Susie Wiles on Friday following the electoral losses, tapping longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller to replace her.