DC's homeless response rife with years of mismanagement, wasteful spending amid Trump crackdown
Roughly 7 residents per 1,000 in the nation's capital experience homelessness, according to numbers released in May by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, which is a rate 7 times higher than the regional rate of 1 per 1,000.
While homeless rates were down in D.C. from 2024 to 2025, data shows the issue is still worse than it was in 2021 after rising sharply in 2024, the largest year-over-year rise in a decade.
The homeless issue has also increasingly affected young people as data shows a 13% increase in single transition-age youth experiencing homelessness in D.C., a total of about 367 individuals in 2025.
As homelessness continues to be an issue in D.C. and available bed space is at a premium, the city's latest budget contains several spending expenditures that address far-left agenda items rather than housing the homeless.
Washington, D.C. allocated $17 million more taxpayer dollars, a total of $40 million, to treat illegal immigrants "humanely" than it did to renovate Department of Health Services homeless shelters in the city system, a total of $23 million, according to the FY 2025 budget.
The district's budget is also full of progressive agenda spending, including $92 million reversing the defunding of D.C.'s Climate Equity Commitments Amendment Act of 2024, $5 million to support hosting the World Pride in 2025, and $1 million for constructing a LGBTQ+ community center in the Shaw neighborhood.
Additionally, the budget includes millions in long-term spending for the Medical Cannabis Social Equity Fund, over $1 million to establish a reparations task force, and $250,000 for a Black LGBTQIA+ history program.
City leadership faced criticism last year from nonprofit groups, Washington City Paper reported, for demanding budget cuts to various homeless services, citing "spending pressures."
The city has also had trouble providing enough beds for the homeless and data shows that the number of available beds has gone down since 2021.
After Trump announced he was sending federal resources to D.C. to combat crime, his Department of the Interior said it was adopting a no-tolerance policy for homeless encampments in support of the Trump administration's "beautification" efforts in Washington, D.C.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said last week that those living in homeless encampments will need to either accept treatment at a homeless shelter or go to jail if they refuse. The U.S. Park Police have already removed 70 homeless encampments in D.C., with only a few remaining, Leavitt added.
Democrats have been loudly opposed to Trump's attempt to clean up Washington, D.C. and protesters have taken to the streets in recent days to voice opposition to the president.
Fox News Digital spoke with several homeless individuals on the streets of Washington, D.C., last week, some of whom voiced concern and others support for the changes.
One homeless man, who identified himself as Kenny and lives near Dupont Circle, told Fox News Digital that Trump is right to address the issues in D.C. after the city government "failed tremendously."
Another man, who did not give his name but also lives by Dupont, took a very different tone.
"This is awful, it's like what the hell, where does he get the authority? You know what I mean?" he said.
"We're people too," he went on. "Just because I'm homeless doesn't mean I have to leave; we have a right to be here too."
Fox News Digital reached out to the DC Department of Human Services and Mayor Bowser's office for comment.
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