[1]EDITOR’S NOTE: The headline was updated to reflected the policy changes for 2026 funding.
WASHINGTON (BP) – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced it will be more open to faith-based organizations as it provides funding aimed at caring for the homeless in 2026.
“Our philosophy for addressing the homelessness crisis will now define success not by dollars spent or housing units filled, but by how many people achieve long-term self-sufficiency and recovery,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner in a press release.
In a Nov. 14 press release, the department said the new approach “underscores the Trump administration’s focus on promoting treatment and recovery.”
First-time homelessness has increased by 23 percent since 2019, according to a study [2] released the National Alliance to End Homeless.
There were 771,480 people experiencing homelessness in January 2024, according to the study. Those numbers were up 18 percent over January 2023.
Turner announced $3.9 billion in competitive grant funding through HUD’s fiscal year 2025 Continuum of Care Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity.
HUD will require “that 70 percent of projects be competed to determine the best programs, ending the status quo that automatically renewed funding without measuring success.”
[3]The department believes this will strengthen efforts to not only address housing issues, but also provide “holistic care solutions including for substance use disorders and mental health.”
HUD’s announcement follows President Trump’s July order on Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets [4].
“The overwhelming majority of these individuals are addicted to drugs, have a mental health condition, or both,” the order said. “Nearly two-thirds of homeless individuals report having regularly used hard drugs like methamphetamines, cocaine, or opioids in their lifetimes. An equally large share of homeless individuals reported suffering from mental health conditions.”
This is where HUD hopes faith-based organizations will shine bright.
Paula White, President Trump’s senior advisor of the White House Faith Office, welcomed the opportunity for partnership.
“Faith-based organizations provide life-transforming care for the whole person and have been serving the most vulnerable Americans long before the Federal government engaged on this issue,” she said.
White pointed to the faith-based groups’ activities that “not only take care of the immediate physical needs of homeless Americans, but also support theirlong-term mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.”
Churches and other faith-based organizations can learn more and apply for the Contiuum of Care program on HUD’s website. [5]
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