Trump Homeless Plan Meets NC Debate Over Sleeping on Public Property

Federal push for treatment and enforcement comes as Gov. Stein vetoes public camping restrictions.

A national debate over how to address homelessness is reaching North Carolina, where lawmakers and Gov. Josh Stein are divided over whether public camping restrictions, expanded treatment options and stronger enforcement should be part of the state’s response.

The debate comes as President Donald Trump’s administration encourages states to expand civil commitment options for people experiencing homelessness who have serious mental illness or substance abuse issues and cannot care for themselves.

The White House Executive Order on Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets aims to shift policy away from housing first models toward mandatory treatment. The administration argues communities have spent too long addressing homelessness without confronting underlying issues such as addiction, untreated mental illness and public safety concerns.

Trump’s executive order directs federal agencies to prioritize funding for states that use what the administration calls “maximally flexible civil commitment” for individuals who are living on the streets and unable to care for themselves.

Supporters say the policy gives states more tools to help people who need intensive services.

Devon Kurtz, a policy director at the Cicero Institute, said the order gives states “considerably more discretion” over psychiatric care.

“This executive order was really a signal to those agencies that they have to revisit all of these key touch points that are creating these unnecessary burdens and ceilings on state experimentation with policy,” Kurtz said.

North Carolina lawmakers push public camping restrictions

The debate mirrors a fight happening in Raleigh over House Bill 437, the “Drug-Free Zones/Unauthorized Public Camping” legislation.

The bill would prohibit unauthorized camping or sleeping on public property, including sidewalks, parks, public buildings and rights-of-way. It also creates drug-free zones around homeless shelters and service providers. 

Supporters argue the legislation would help communities address unsafe encampments while encouraging people experiencing homelessness to connect with treatment and services.

State Sen. Brad Overcash, R-Gaston, said the bill allows local governments to create regulated camping areas that include safety requirements.

“It does allow local governments to choose to designate an area that’s certified as safe, that’s drug-free, that has access to sanitation and the use of restroom facilities,” Overcash said. “It allows for the humane treatment of these homeless persons among us.” 

Rep. Brian Biggs, R-Randolph, who sponsored the camping provisions, said the legislation was designed to move people away from unsafe conditions and toward assistance.

“If Governor Stein was serious about helping homeless people, he would have signed this legislation into law,” Biggs said, arguing the veto could put federal funding opportunities at risk. 

Stein says bill is not the solution

Stein vetoed the bill, arguing it would create additional burdens for local governments and does not address the causes of homelessness.

“We all want people experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet and live in safe, affordable housing,” Stein wrote in his veto message. “Yet, this poorly constructed bill makes that goal harder and creates another significant unfunded mandate for local governments.” 

Stein said the state should focus on other strategies.

“I have long called for funding to crack down on drug trafficking, invest in behavioral health, and expand affordable housing options — because homelessness and substance misuse are real problems that deserve real solutions, not this bill,” Stein wrote.

Republican lawmakers have indicated they plan to attempt an override of the veto. 

Housing First approach faces federal challenge

The North Carolina debate comes as the Trump administration challenges the federal government’s long-standing “Housing First” approach.

Housing first programs generally provide housing without requiring sobriety or treatment participation before assistance.

Critics argue the approach fails to address addiction and mental illness. Kurtz said housing first policies have “been rewarding the places that have done the worst.”

Supporters of housing-first, taxpayer-funded programs argue that housing stability is often the first step toward recovery. Jennifer Mathis, deputy director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health, said involuntary treatment should be limited. “It should be a last resort,” Mathis said. 

She argued that the federal shift could encourage states to rely more on coercive measures rather than expanding housing and community services.

Mathis is a former DOJ official who served in the Obama and Biden administrations.

Western North Carolina faces housing pressures

The debate has particular significance in Western North Carolina, where communities continue dealing with affordable housing shortages, substance abuse challenges and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Local governments across the region have faced questions about how to balance public safety, taxpayer concerns and assistance for residents experiencing homelessness.

The federal policy changes do not automatically change North Carolina law, but future funding decisions could influence how state and local programs operate.

A changing approach to homelessness

The national discussion reflects a broader policy divide. Supporters of the Trump administration’s approach say communities need stronger tools to address untreated mental illness, addiction and public disorder.

Opponents warn that enforcement without sufficient treatment capacity and housing options could create additional problems.

Locally, Rutherford County does not operate a county-funded or county-run homeless shelter. Instead, assistance and temporary housing options rely entirely on private non-profit, faith-based, and regional organizations.

As federal courts consider changes to homelessness funding and North Carolina lawmakers consider a possible veto override, communities across the state will continue debating one central question: whether homelessness is best addressed primarily through housing, treatment, enforcement — or a combination of all three. 

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