Louisville, Ky. – A former church turned shelter buzzed with activity as men like 71‑year‑old Johnny Henderson, who sleeps on the streets, sought a brief respite. Henderson, who lives with heart disease, vision problems and the loss of an arm, is among the many who could lose access to permanent, government‑subsidized apartments under the Trump administration’s new “Treatment First” approach.
Federal policy shift
For more than a decade, the federal government has funded “Housing First” programs, based on the belief that stable housing is a prerequisite for addressing health, addiction and mental‑health challenges. President Trump signed an executive order last year directing agencies to end support for those programs and his FY 2027 budget proposes eliminating the federal initiative that funds most Housing First projects.
HUD officials told reporters the change is intended to “address the root causes of homelessness and advance recovery, self‑sufficiency, and competition that drives accountability.” The administration argues that short‑term, treatment‑required housing will better use taxpayer dollars and push residents toward employment and sobriety.
Local impact
Louisville’s St. John Center, which runs a men’s day shelter and provides both housing and outreach, now faces the prospect of converting many of its 200 permanent apartments into temporary units. “Housing is healthcare,” said executive director Ra’S Hann Martin. “The longer people stay unhoused, the more fragile they become.”
Outreach specialist Angel Sivado described how the shelter’s clients—many with disabilities, chronic illness or substance‑use disorders—struggle to maintain health while living on the streets. “They’re not just homeless people; they’re someone’s son, mother, daughter,” she said.
Numbers and trends
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates roughly 750,000 people were homeless last year, a slight dip from 2024 but still 31 % higher than in 2019. About a quarter of that population is considered chronically homeless, a share that has risen since 2019. Roughly half of homeless adults have a disability, up to two‑thirds suffer mental illness, and two‑in‑five struggle with substance use.
Provider concerns
Local service providers warn that a two‑year limit on housing, coupled with mandatory treatment requirements, may not give chronically homeless individuals enough time to achieve lasting stability. “If you want to gradually work on reducing social services that are funded by the federal government, OK,” said Jennifer Clark, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul Louisville. “But you cannot make a huge sweeping change and take an ax to everything and think there won’t be consequences for people who are really in need.”
John Franklin, a 58‑year‑old former chronic alcoholic now living in a permanent supportive apartment, said transitional housing would not work for him after years of struggle. “This is my safe haven,” he said of his current home.
What’s next?
Housing advocates in Louisville and across the nation are urging Congress and the administration to reconsider the abrupt policy shift. Meanwhile, shelters continue to provide day‑to‑day assistance, hoping that any new federal guidance will still allow permanent supportive housing to remain a viable option for the most vulnerable.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
