Clearing out homeless encampments was a recurring feature of then-candidate Donald Trump's

2024 campaign. Our once great cities have become unlivable, unsanitary nightmares,

surrendered to the homeless, the drug addicted, and the violent and dangerously deranged.

Now, President Trump is aiming to fundamentally shift how this country manages homelessness.

He signed a new executive order last week that calls for changes that would make it easier for states and cities to move people living on the streets into treatment for mental illness or addiction.

It's something that conservatives have been lobbying for for years.

Either because of the longstanding lack of medication or certain disorders that make them unable

to help themselves, this is really that crucial safety net at the bottom to make sure that

they don't continue to fall through the cracks and die on the street. That's Devin Kurtz, a policy director with the conservative Cicero Institute think tank.

But other advocates who focus on homelessness, even those who agree that access to treatment

is a good thing, say that forcing people into treatment may not be realistic.

Right now, there aren't enough services.

So many people want to get help, but they can't afford it, or the waitlists are too long.

This executive order does nothing to address that.

That is Jesse Rabinowitz of the National Homelessness Law Center.

He and other advocates say addressing an ongoing shortage of affordable housing is the best way to tackle homelessness.

Rabinowitz says the new executive order does nothing to address the housing shortage.

And at least one local leader has an even sharper critique of the order.

In an interview with MPR's Morning Edition, Mayor Alia Gaskins of Alexandria, Virginia,

called it a, quote, callous command and control approach.

It requires states and cities like mine to demonstrate aggressive enforcement.

It ends support for housing first policies.

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