The order from President Donald Trump’s administration to clear out homeless encampments across D.C. might be causing more harm to those experiencing homelessness, according to one expert.
The order from President Donald Trump’s administration to clear out homeless encampments across D.C. might be causing more harm to those experiencing homelessness, according to one expert.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness said clearing the camps can backfire by disrupting access to critical services, destroying personal belongings and pushing people into more dangerous or hidden areas.
Experts say the practice increases psychological stress, worsens health outcomes and can even raise the risk of death — all while failing to address the root causes of homelessness.
“Simply moving people out of public sight doesn’t resolve homelessness,” Mary Frances Kenion, chief equity officer for the alliance, said. “They no longer have, not just their personal possessions, but they could have lost very important documentation … like an ID.”
Kenion said the humane way to remove the camps is to first have a place for the individuals to go. Increasing the notice period for those living in an encampment, she said, is a good place to start.
She cited an initiative in Dallas, Texas, as a good example of how a city was able to reduce the number of homeless individuals in a way that benefited the community.
Suddenly dissolving a camp, she said, simply pushes people farther away from things they might need, such as access to health care, mental health services and food assistance.
“Nobody wants to be isolated from their safety net, and that’s what displacement does,” Kenion said.
Kenion also said it can destroy the relationship a homeless person may have developed with a caseworker. The practice can also erode trust between homeless individuals and authorities, she said.
“Just sweeping folks from one part of a community to another is being done, but this isn’t new to us,” Kenion said.
Under the Trump administration, Kenion said there has been a move to criminalize homelessness, and that homeless people are better served by counselors than law enforcement.
She pointed to the state of Kentucky, which has enacted several laws to crack down on homeless people. But she said the problem there has only gotten worse.
The NAEH and other organizations have coped with the tactic for decades. She said it’s much more expensive to a community to move encampments out instead of making the human capital investments in long-term solutions.
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Alan Etter
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