COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Local advocates for homeless people are speaking out, saying a new executive order signed by President Trump criminalizes unhoused people.
The order calls for communities to put people who are homeless into rehab centers and other facilities.
The new ‘Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets’ executive order is aimed at making it easier for cities and states across the country to remove homeless people from the streets.
“It really is a declaration of the war on the poor,” said Bo Chilton, the CEO of IMPACT Community Action.
The order says most homeless people use drugs or are mentally ill and claims moving them to institutional settings will ‘Restore Public Order.’
“The executive order is horrible and will set back the progress that we’ve made in strides towards ending homelessness by not just years, but decades,” said the executive director for Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Amy Riegel.
The order reads that by removing what it calls ‘vagrant criminals’ from the streets and redirecting resources to substance abuse programs, it will make communities safer.
“The way in which we’re going about it is criminalizing homeless people and people with mental health challenges and sobriety issues. And I’m deeply concerned that we’re using law enforcement as a tool to punish the poor,” said Chilton.
Recent data from the Community Shelter Board says there are over 2,500 people experiencing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County. This marks a 7.4% increase over the last year.
“What we know is that the solution to homelessness is housing,” said Riegel.
The president’s executive order also says ‘surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor the citizens.’
“This executive order takes away humanity from the individuals who experience homelessness by stating that if they are experiencing homelessness, that they can be involuntarily long-term detained in institutional settings,” said Riegel.
Both Riegel and Chilton say that more funding needs to go toward affordable housing.
“I do think housing should be a right. So we talk about housing first. The basic needs, food, clothing, and shelter,” said Chilton.
The order does say that the attorney general should provide assistance to state and local governments through things like grants or other legally available means. It’s unclear how much funding may be allocated.
NBC4 has reached out to several Republican state lawmakers and has yet to hear back.
