Last Updated on June 5, 2025 by ThePublic
President Trump issued an executive order in March demanding that the agency (United States Interagency Council on Homelessness), which has fewer than 20 employees, be cut to “the maximum extent” allowed by law while homelessness reached a record high last year.
‘In coordinating the homelessness work of 19 federal agencies, the council seeks to eliminate duplication and make Washington more accessible to local organizations. Eliminating its annual budget, $4 million, would save about as much as the government spends every 18 seconds.’
What it does: The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) coordinates federal efforts to address homelessness, aligning policies and resources across 19 agencies, like HUD, HHS, and VA. It develops strategic plans, such as the 2022 All In initiative, aiming to reduce homelessness by 25% by 2025 through equitable housing solutions and interagency collaboration.
In 2023, it reported 653,104 people experiencing homelessness on a single night, a 12% rise from 2022, highlighting the issue’s scale.
Importance: USICH’s role is significant because homelessness spans multiple sectors including housing, healthcare, employment, and veterans’ services.
Without a centralized body, fragmented efforts risk inefficiency, duplication, or gaps. It facilitates data driven policies, like prioritizing permanent supportive housing, which studies show reduces chronic homelessness by 30-50%. It also leverages federal funding, like HUD’s $3.6 billion for homelessness programs in 2024, to maximize impact.
Is it needed?: Some critics argue USICH duplicates local efforts or lacks enforcement power, as it can’t mandate agency compliance. Some question its effectiveness given rising homelessness rates.
However, dissolving it could worsen coordination, especially for complex cases like veterans (9% of homeless adults) or youth (1 in 10 homeless people). Local governments often lack the cross-jurisdictional scope USICH provides.
Alternatives, like decentralizing entirely, could lead to uneven outcomes, as seen in states with varying homelessness rates (e.g., California’s 181,399 vs. Wyoming’s 618).
Conclusion: USICH is crucial for aligning federal resources and strategies, though its impact depends on execution and local partnerships. It’s needed to tackle a multifaceted issue, but streamlining its role or enhancing accountability could address critiques.
The sad part is when it was created in 1987 under President Reagan, it was once thought to be seen as a vehicle for bipartisan work. But now it’s being gutted from 20 workers to one by DOGE and the Trump Administration putting even more pressure on the homeless situation. Bad time to be homeless, but a great time to be rich.