Sep 3, 2025
Sending in troops to fight crime and homelessness in Washington could cost taxpayers millions — and critics say the plan may not solve the problem.
President Donald Trump wants to deploy hundreds of National Guard members, take control of the city’s police department and force unhoused residents to choose between shelter, fines or possible jail time.
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Advocates warn the move could backfire, forcing displaced residents into shelters, soup kitchens and hospitals that are already stretched thin.
At an August press conference, Trump said he intends to take control of Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department and give unhoused residents a choice: move into a shelter or face fines and possible jail time.
Outside Miriam’s Kitchen, WUSA9 met Jarrod Moore, who spent a year on the housing voucher waitlist. During that time, he found refuge on buses, in stairwells and wherever he could lay his hat until he was finally placed in transitional housing.
“It was worth the wait,” Moore said. “Even though I struggled.”
While Trump pledged his administration would help “as much as we can,” critics question whether the approach will address the root causes of homelessness or simply shift the burden onto already overtaxed social services.
Short on shelter
In 2024, an estimated 5,600 people experienced homelessness in Washington, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The city offers about 3,200 emergency shelter beds, plus roughly 1,000 additional beds in transitional housing, data from the D.C.-based Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness shows.
Against that backdrop, a new city initiative is stirring unease among advocates and unhoused residents. Kirsten Quinsland, chief program officer at Miriam’s Kitchen, told WUSA the change is fueling uncertainty and stress for both outreach workers and the people they serve.
“We’re seeing uncertainty and stress — staff wondering how to help with the little information we have, and folks in encampments wondering, ‘Am I going to be cleared out tonight? Can I go to sleep feeling safe? Where should I go?’” Quinsland said.
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For people like Moore, who finally secured housing after a long wait, the concern is personal. Moore lost his job and, with it, his stable housing, falling into the same cycle that thousands of others are still trapped in.
“No matter how you fall down, hard times is hard times," he said, adding that even from the relative security of his current situation, he still worries for those still left outside.
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Is this really the solution?
Critics argue the plan isn’t just misguided — it’s dehumanizing and more expensive than proven alternatives, such as investing in permanent housing, raising wages and tackling D.C.’s high housing costs.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb is among those pushing back. In a post on X, he called the actions “unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful,” noting the city hit a 30-year low in violent crime in 2024.
Research also challenges the idea that unhoused residents pose a public safety threat. A 2022 report from the National Coalition for the Homeless documented nearly 2,000 violent attacks against homeless individuals since 2000, showing they are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators.
Advocates say the answer lies in sustained outreach and connecting people to services and housing, not criminalizing them. These approaches, they argue, help stabilize lives and give people the footing they need to move forward.
If you or someone you know needs shelter in D.C., call 202-399-7093.
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based Staff Reporter at Moneywise, where she covers the intersection of personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a postgraduate certificate in Publishing from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in American Journalism from New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her work has been featured in publications including Apple News, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money, Her Campus Media and The Click.
