The High Price of Trump’s DC Homeless Crackdown

An investigation by the National Priorities Project and The Intercept calculates the daily cost of the current deployment at approximately $1.1 million, based on federal spending of $530 per guard member. In contrast, providing affordable housing for the roughly 5,600 people experiencing homelessness in the capital would cost roughly $255,166 per day, according to Department of Housing and Urban Development data.

Despite the scale of the military mobilization, advocates argue the strategy is counterproductive. Research, including a 2021 UCLA study, indicates that 'Housing First' policies—which provide shelter without preconditions—reduce crime rates by up to 80%. Conversely, the administration’s proposed 2026 budget seeks to slash the HUD Continuum of Care program. The National Alliance to End Homelessness warns this move could jeopardize permanent supportive housing for 170,000 residents nationwide, potentially driving homelessness up by 36%.