When we met James, he lived under an overpass on Capitol Hill, steps from our drop-in Day Center, for almost two years. It wasn’t home, but it was a place where he knew his neighbors, where they looked out for one another, and where he could access services that helped him manage his health. This spring, Everyone Home DC supported James in moving into his own permanent home—a space where he can lock the door, cook his own meals, and sleep soundly at night.
That’s the solution to homelessness—housing.
This week, the federal government announced plans to take control of certain DC public safety operations, deploy the National Guard, and “clean up” homeless encampments. These actions are being framed as a public safety measure, but no plan has been shared to house the people who will be displaced. The only options on the table are threats of involuntary hospitalization or incarceration—indicating that force, not support, is the approach being prioritized.
We know how to end homelessness, and it isn’t with force. It isn’t moving people from one sidewalk to another. It’s stable, safe, and permanent housing—paired with the supportive services each person needs to thrive. DC already knows what works—permanent supportive and affordable housing, flexible financial assistance, robust street outreach programs, service-rich drop-in centers, and shelters—but these solutions require sustained investment. Yet federal actions are holding $1.1 billion in DC taxpayer dollars hostage while simultaneously disinvesting in the very programs that can prevent and end homelessness, revealing the disingenuousness of these efforts.
True solutions to ending homelessness are grounded in deep knowledge of our neighbors’ needs and the realities of the city. Protecting and investing in these community-led approaches is essential, especially as federal actions and funding cuts threaten to undermine the progress we’ve made.
Our city is home to far too many neighbors experiencing homelessness. Many live in encampments because decades of underinvestment have left them no other option. These communities often provide safety, connection, and mutual support. Sweeping them away without providing permanent housing will only deepen trauma, break apart relationships, and push people further from stability.
Everyone Home DC exists to change that. We connect neighbors to homes and walk alongside them as they build stability, community, and opportunity. We will not be distracted by harmful rhetoric or short-term “clean-up” efforts that do nothing to solve the problem.
Everyone Home DC is committed to a future where:
- Housing is the first and most essential step to ending homelessness.
- People are treated with dignity and choice in where and how they live.
- Solutions are built for the long term, not the news cycle.
- Adequate funding and resources are prioritized so proven solutions can succeed.
Now, more than ever, we need your voice, advocacy, and partnership to ensure DC’s response is rooted in housing, dignity, and compassion — not displacement and force. Here’s how you can help today:
- 🌱 Invest in your neighbors: Give a personally meaningful gift today—or commit monthly through the GoodNeighbor Circle to help all people in our city access homes, stability, and lasting support. Your investment creates real change.
- 📣 Speak up: Share this message with your communities and advocate for housing-first solutions.
- 💪Take action: Contact local leaders to demand funding for proven housing-centered solutions. Want to do more? Join our Community Connectors and help amplify our impact locally.
We know you believe, as we do, that our neighbors deserve more than being moved from place to place. They deserve the chance to heal, rebuild, and belong in a city that refuses to leave them behind.
Thank you for standing with us,
Karen Cunningham
Executive Director
*Names and identifying details have been altered to protect privacy.
