One Roof’s Statement on Executive Order: "Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets"
On July 24, 2025, an executive order was issued by the White House calling for widespread policy changes in how homelessness is addressed specifically through increased enforcement, institutionalization via civil commitment, and the redirection of federal funding away from Housing First and harm reduction models.
As the lead agency of the Continuum of Care for Central Alabama, One Roof remains firmly committed to evidence-based, trauma-informed, and person-centered solutions to homelessness. Research and decades of field practice have demonstrated that criminalization and forced institutionalization do not solve homelessness, they often deepen trauma, cycle individuals through jails and hospitals, and create additional barriers to recovery and housing stability.
We believe that:
Homelessness is a housing issue, not a criminal issue.
Public safety and compassion can and must coexist.
Programs like Housing First, which prioritize stability through housing without preconditions, are essential and effective.
Mental health and substance use treatment are most effective when offered voluntarily in a supportive environment not under threat of confinement or punishment.
We recognize the fears and frustrations that arise when homelessness intersects with public spaces, but solutions rooted in enforcement and exclusion only move the problem, not solve it. We urge policymakers, stakeholders, and our community members to advocate for resources that prioritize permanent housing, wraparound services, and the dignity of every person experiencing homelessness.
One Roof will continue to collaborate with partners, funders, and community members to build a homelessness response system that is equitable, humane, and effective. We will not turn away from our core belief: housing ends homelessness.
The order :
Housing First Research:
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2023/09/11/housing-first/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8513528/