ARE SAFETY NET CUTS THE ANSWER TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS?
ONE STEP FORWARD – THREE STEPS BACK
If the House Republican tax and budget bill is passed into law, it would make it more difficult for individuals experiencing homelessness to access health care and food assistance and threatens the possibility of ending or reducing homelessness.
Decades of attempts by federal, state, and city governments to end or reduce the homeless crisis in America have been jeopardized with the passage of the bill.
Safety Net Program Cuts
Programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts would make the homeless situation worse. The nation’s most vulnerable people. Adding mandatory proof-of-residency and paperwork requirements would further hinder the homeless from receiving basic assistance.
The House Republican proposal would force Medicaid enrollees to provide where they live through regular address checks, postmarked mail, name and address within the
- S. Postal Service (USPS), and a managed inpatient or ambulatory health plan to confirm an address.
Individuals who experience homelessness may have difficulties providing their residency because of frequent moves and lack of a physical address needed to accept mail.
Benefits of Safety Net Programs
- Medicaid and SNAP provide lifelines for individuals who experience homelessness.
- Medicaid support decreases evictions.
- Snap helps the homeless stay out of poverty and less likely to use shelters.
- Housing First initiatives have proved effective at reducing homelessness, increasing housing security, employment rates, and wages.
- Reducing homelessness can reduce Medicaid costs.
Federal FY 2026 Budget Cuts:
- Agriculture – $230 billion
- Education and Workforce – $330 billion
- Energy – $880 billion
What’s at stake for children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness in the FY2026 appropriations process?
The future of many federal programs will be decided in the FY2026 appropriations process. Amidst a push to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, all federal education programs are at risk of severe cuts, including the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program. The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) program, Head Start, higher education programs, and homeless and housing assistance programs are also at risk.
Conclusion
Changes to Medicaid and Snap eligibility would make it more difficult for the homeless to access basic needs like food and health care and force many to continue to live in poverty.
Sources:
Congressional Republican Budget Bill Proposes Weakening Support for Homeless Individuals, www.cap.org, 2025.
Congress Reshaping the Budget-Here’s What That Means for Students Experiencing Homelessness, www.schoolhouseconnectio.org, 2025.