The Trump administration is celebrating what it describes as a historic nationwide decline in homelessness, even as Los Angeles continues to see its crisis worsen.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development said Friday that homelessness had fallen by the largest amount ever recorded. The agency attributed the change to President Trump’s tougher immigration enforcement and his effort to replace the Biden-era housing strategy with policies centered on addiction treatment.
“According to data from the 2026 nationwide Point-in-Time (PIT) count, 698,425 individuals were homeless on a single night in January, a 6.3% decrease since President Trump took office in 2025. This follows historic border control and a Supreme Court victory reaffirming the right of local governments to limit dangerous encampments,” HUD said.
California, however, is heading in the opposite direction.
Los Angeles County recorded an estimated 73,040 homeless residents in 2026, marking a 1.2% increase, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. In the city of Los Angeles, the homeless population rose 3.4% to 45,194.
“Under the Biden Administration’s Housing First mandate, homelessness increased 28% from 2022 to 2025. This is why HUD is dispensing with this harmful approach and implementing Treatment First policies to help Americans tackle addiction,” the agency added.
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HUD Secretary Scott Turner separately criticized the Biden administration’s immigration policies, claiming that illegal immigration has contributed to homelessness. He also condemned sanctuary policies in California, New York, Illinois and Massachusetts.
The Trump administration is abandoning the federal “Housing First” model, which provides shelter without requiring people to enter addiction treatment beforehand. In its place, officials are promoting a “Treatment First” framework that prioritizes confronting substance abuse and connecting people to supportive services.
In July 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to adopt the new strategy while taking stronger action against homelessness, crime and disorder in public spaces.
The HUD announcement comes during a turbulent week for Washington Republicans, shortly after Democrats secured significant victories in the midterm elections.
Trump also dismissed chief of staff Susie Wiles on Friday in the aftermath of the electoral defeats. Longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller was selected to succeed her.
