Trump’s Executive Order – we should not comply!
Trump’s Executive Order – we should not comply!
On Friday, July 25th, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets” - a sweeping directive that encourages cities and states to forcibly institutionalize people experiencing homelessness and rewards jurisdictions that aggressively police, remove, and surveil them.
The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) strongly denounces the Executive Order as it dismantles proven best practices, removes housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, and continues to dehumanize and surveil members of our community.
The order:
Expands the criminalization and institutionalization of people experiencing homelessness by redirecting federal funding to jurisdictions that criminalize unsheltered homelessness and allows for civil commitments (kidnapping) people into facilities to remove them from public spaces.
Does nothing to lower the cost of housing. Rather, removes housing options for people experiencing homelessness by eliminating funding for Housing First approaches and forcing more people to the streets.
Defunds lifesaving practices like harm reduction as communities continue to grapple with the opioid epidemic and its devastating caused by a combination of corporate greed and regulatory failures.
Seeks to surveil and eliminate basic privacy protections of individuals by forcing surveil providers to share personal healthcare data with law enforcement institutions.
These are not public health strategies – these are weapons to be used against our neighbors, friends, and loved ones. The Executive Order is a deeply regressive agenda that continues the long, violent history of locking away LGBTQ+ people, Black and brown communities, people with disabilities, and anyone deemed “undesirable” in public space.
Communities with enough housing have safer neighborhoods. Our community has seen great success through programs that prioritize housing first. We have 2605 units of housing available to people experiencing homelessness in our community. Only about 7 percent of people return to homelessness between 13 and 24 months after getting access to permanent housing.
Our community has a choice.
We are thankful that Mayor Justin Bibb responded swiftly, calling the executive order “disgusting” and affirming that Housing First is the solution. He named Cleveland’s own Home for Every Neighbor, initiative as proof that progress is possible when cities lead with care. NEOCH has been instrumental in the success of getting over 180 people into housing over the last 12 months through this program.
We must continue to use every tool and strategy to protect our community. We ask our community members, elected officials, homeless services providers to continue to speak out by:
1) Publicly speak out and refuse to follow Trump’s executive order. This includes publicly rejecting any federal guidance or funding tied to forced institutionalization, or civil commitment. We are not a community that allows our neighbors to be forcefully disappeared into prisons and institutions.
2) Codify basic protection that affirms the right to exist in public space without fear of arrest, fines, or forced treatment. Homeless Bill of Rights have been a tool both in a legal and policy framework that ensures people experiencing homelessness are not criminalized, discriminated against, or denied access to basic needs and public spaces simply because of their housing status
3) Continue to practice housing first which is rooted in the belief that housing is a basic human right—not something that must be bought or earned through compliance. Housing is the solution to homelessness.
4) Do not stop providing harm reductions services. People will die if we stop utilizing syringe distribution, Narcan distribution, safe consumption supplies, fentanyl test strips, Medication Assisted Treatment, overdose prevention. If we can save lives – we must do so.
The wave of executive orders combined with the budget cuts for housing and healthcare will make homelessness and poverty worse and negatively impact all of us. NEOCH believes everybody needs a safe and stable place to call home where they can also embrace their own power and dignity. Please know we are committed to defending our people with every tool and resource available to us. Our work can only be done in a community – with collective voice and action. Join us.