Housing, Not Handcuffs: A Response to the Executive Order on Homelessness
Statement from CaringWorks CEO Carol S. Collard, PhD, LMSW:
Last week’s Executive Order, titled Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets, takes a fundamentally flawed approach to homelessness by prioritizing forced institutionalization over evidence-based housing solutions. It shifts funding away from Housing First and harm reduction programs toward punitive interventions that neither address the root causes of homelessness nor respect civil rights.
Where the Executive Order Gets It Wrong
- The Order fails to recognize the shortage of affordable housing and behavioral health services, which research consistently shows to be the primary drivers of homelessness across communities.
- The policy undermines permanent supportive housing (PSH) and Housing First approaches—interventions proven to reduce chronic homelessness, improve stability, and lower public costs.
Housing First and PSH: Smart Policy That Saves Lives and Money
- Housing First offers permanent housing without preconditions such as sobriety or treatment, recognizing that having a stable place to live is the foundation for individuals to successfully address their health and other needs. It achieves exceptionally high retention rates—up to 98% in PSH programs—and helps people exit homelessness faster than traditional models.
- A systematic review found Housing First programs cut homelessness by 88% and boost housing stability by 41% compared to treatment-first models.
- The Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness (CICH) placed people directly into permanent housing; 95% were still in independent housing after 12 months.
- In a study of homeless people in New York City with serious mental illness, PSH reduced emergency shelter use by 60%.
- A Housing First study in Seattle showed a 53% cost savings per person—over $2,500 monthly per participant—through reduced emergency care and criminal justice utilization. Participants also cut alcohol use by 33% while reducing public service costs—often exceeding housing program costs.
- The Community Preventive Services Task Force found that every dollar invested in permanent supportive housing yields $1.44 in economic benefits, including reduced healthcare, housing instability, and criminal justice costs.
The Stakes Are Too High to Stay Silent
We urge Congress, state leaders, and funding agencies to:
- Preserve and protect FY2026 funding for permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, and Housing First programs.
- Reject efforts to defund or restrict evidence-based models, including behavioral health, harm reduction, and client-centered services.
- Invest in developing and expanding affordable housing and integrated behavioral health systems, which are essential infrastructure—not optional extras—in ending homelessness.
- Speak out in support of civil liberties and proven interventions—housing, not handcuffs, builds safer, healthier communities.
As more people struggle to access affordable housing and behavioral health care, now is the time to double down on Housing First and permanent supportive housing—not dismantle them. The evidence is clear. The path forward must be grounded in compassion, effectiveness, and fiscal responsibility.
July 31, 2025
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About CaringWorks:
Built on the single idea that all people—no matter their social or economic standing—should have a chance to improve their quality of life, CaringWorks has served thousands of clients since our inception in 2002. Since then we have grown exponentially to become one of Georgia’s leaders in providing permanent supportive housing. We serve hundreds of individuals each year through unique programs and services that are specifically tailored to the needs of those facing chronic homelessness.
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