National Policy Shifts on Homelessness: What Do They Mean for Greensboro?
A new executive order aims to clear homeless encampments from city streets, raising urgent questions about the future of housing security and compassionate care, both nationally and right here in Guilford County.
Here at the Greensboro Housing Coalition (GHC), our work is grounded in the belief that safe, stable, and affordable housing is a fundamental human right. We dedicate our efforts to supporting our neighbors in Greensboro and ensuring our community has the resources it needs to thrive. That’s why we are paying close attention to recent developments at the national level that could significantly impact how cities across the country, including our own, address homelessness.
On July 24, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.” According to a report from USA TODAY, this order directs federal agencies to push for the removal of homeless individuals from streets and encampments, moving them into treatment centers. It also aims to prioritize federal grants to cities that enforce bans on urban camping, loitering, and drug use.
This executive action follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to fine or arrest people for sleeping in public spaces, even when adequate shelter is not available. Together, these developments signal a major shift in federal policy—one that moves away from housing-first initiatives and toward a more enforcement-heavy approach.
The National Picture and Local Realities
The national context for this new policy is stark. Homelessness in the United States has reached a record high. A count from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in January 2024 found over 771,800 people without housing, an 18.1% increase from the previous year. This crisis is fueled by a severe shortage of affordable housing, a challenge we know all too well in Greensboro.
Housing advocates and mental health professionals have raised serious concerns about the new federal approach. Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center stated in the USA TODAY article, “The safest communities are those with the most housing and resources, not those that make it a crime to be poor or sick.” Experts argue that forced treatment is often ineffective and that criminalizing homelessness can create further barriers, making it even harder for individuals to secure stable housing and employment.
What This Means for Greensboro
Here in Guilford County, the challenge of homelessness is not an abstract concept; it’s a daily reality for many of our neighbors. The 2024 Point-in-Time count, an annual census of our homeless population, identified 641 individuals without stable housing. As reported by FOX8 WGHP, this number represents a significant increase from the 426-482 people counted in previous years.
This rise in homelessness is occurring alongside a severe affordable housing crisis. A recent report highlighted by WFMY News 2 indicates that Guilford County needs to build 32,000 new housing units in the next five years to meet the demand driven by our region’s economic growth.
The new federal directive to prioritize funding for cities that enforce camping bans puts communities like ours in a difficult position. While public safety is a valid concern, we believe the most effective and humane solutions are those that address the root causes of homelessness. This includes:
- Expanding Affordable Housing: We must continue to advocate for and support initiatives like Greensboro’s “Road to 10,000” plan to increase our housing stock for all income levels.
- Supporting “Housing First” Models: The Greensboro Housing Coalition, along with our partners in the Guilford County Continuum of Care, supports the “Housing First” philosophy. This approach prioritizes providing permanent, affordable housing as the foundational step to helping individuals address other challenges, such as mental health, substance use, or unemployment.
- Investing in Comprehensive Support Services: Access to mental and physical healthcare, job training, and case management is critical. Removing people from public view without providing these voluntary, accessible resources is not a sustainable solution.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
The Greensboro Housing Coalition remains steadfast in its mission. We believe that a community is strongest when all its members are housed and secure. An enforcement-first approach threatens to punish our most vulnerable neighbors for their poverty and divert resources away from the proven, long-term solutions that we know work.
We will continue to work with our local government, partner agencies like Partners Ending Homelessness, and all members of our community to advocate for policies that lead with compassion and are rooted in the evidence of what truly ends homelessness: a safe, affordable place to call home.
We urge our supporters and all residents of Greensboro to stay informed and engaged. The conversation about how we care for our neighbors is more critical now than ever. Together, we can ensure that Greensboro remains a community that chooses compassionate, effective solutions over punitive measures.
To learn more about our work or to find housing resources, please explore our website. If you are in immediate need of assistance, please contact the Housing Hotline at 336-691-9521.
