Presidential candidates' stances on homelessness

Photo byTabrez SyedonUnsplash

For people experiencing homelessness, it’s important to understand the stands presidential candidates take on issues related to their livelihood. Here’s a quick voting guide on the 2024 presidential hopefuls and where they stand on homelessness.

Donald Trump believes in Institutionalizing mentally ill

Donald Trump explains in a video on Truth Social, his social media platform, why people experiencing homelessness must be taken off the streets. Using stigmatizing language, he describes how homeless people live in filth and create messes everywhere they go. He wants to create mental institutions to house the “deranged,” he said. He wants to create tent villages where people experirencing homelessness would receive addiction treatment, he said. For those “down on their luck” the government should help them re-integrate into society, Trump said. He’s against using “taxpayer money to put them in luxury hotels without addressing underlying issues.”

Joe Biden wants to create more housing for homeless

The White House released a fact sheet in May regarding how the Biden administration intends to address homelessness. “ALL INside is a key part of 'All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness,' which set a bold goal to reduce homelessness 25 percent by 2025 and ultimately build a country where every person has a safe and affordable home,” according to the fact sheet. “Through the ALL INside initiative, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and its 19 federal member agencies will partner with state and local governments to strengthen and accelerate local efforts to get unsheltered people into homes in six places: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix Metro, Seattle, and the State of California.” Denver and New York are conspicuously not included.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants more housing vouchers

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running as an independent. To combat homelessness, he believes federal section 8 vouchers need to be distributed to more Americans, according to Fox News.

"Part of the problem is mental illness and drug addiction, but it’s not the entire problem," Kennedy said in a YouTube video, Fox News reported. "In fact, we can solve the homeless problem in this country. If you look at West Virginia, it has one of the highest addiction rates in the country but homelessness is a minor problem there."

Michelle Obama says we can end veteran homelessness

Some Democrats hope Joe Biden will drop out of the presidential race and Michelle Obama will become a candidate and the nominee. Obama has been a fierce supporter of helping the homeless. In 2016, she vowed to end veteran homelessness. “Since 2014, more than 800 mayors, governors, and other state and local officials have answered the call of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, pledging to do all they can to ensure their communities succeed,” according to an Obama White House news release. “And it’s working.

“A growing list of more than 35 communities, and the entire states of Connecticut, Delaware, and Virginia, have proven that ending veteran homelessness is possible and sustainable. As documented through the federal criteria and benchmarks, they have proven that we can drive down the number of veterans experiencing homelessness to as close to zero as possible, while also building and sustaining systems that can effectively and efficiently address veterans’ housing crises in the future.”

Nikki Haley isn't talking much about homelessness

Some Republicans hope Donald Trump will be disqualified from the presidency or lose credibility as a candidate based on his legal problems. They want to see the Republican candidate in second place in the polls, Nikki Haley, as the candidate.

Little can be found online about Haley’s stance on homeless issues. On her website, she says she is a staunch supporter of veterans. “As the wife of a combat veteran, protecting our veterans is personal for Nikki,” the website says. “She focused on easing the transition to civilian life and helping veterans find jobs. It started with “Operation Palmetto Employment,” a one-stop online shop for veterans to find resources, search jobs, post their resumes, and access jobs before the general public. Nikki also signed a bill making veterans eligible for in-state tuition immediately and a bill cutting taxes for veterans who receive military retirement.”

People experiencing homelessness can vote

Photo byParker JohnsononUnsplash

People experiencing homelessness are not barred from voting, per se. Organizations advocating for people experience homelessness encourages them to vote. The National Alliance to End Homelessness created a toolkit for registering would-be homeless voters.

“In most states, a mailing address is required in order for the jurisdiction to send voter ID and election-related materials,” according to the toolkit. “However, this address does not have to be the voter’s actual residence. For clients, this can include any location willing to accept the mail on the client’s behalf, including shelters, or a provider’s place of business.”

The toolkit offers other legal workarounds as well that would permit people experiencing homelessness to vote.