YES to Housing and Healthcare, NO to Funding cuts, Fines and Jail
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that communities can arrest and ticket people for living outside, and, one year later, over 150 cities have passed laws making it illegal to be homeless without addressing the dire lack of affordable housing that causes homelessness.
On April 22, 2025, thousands of advocates will rally nationwide, and in Washington DC at the Capitol, to demand Housing NOW! We know what ends homelessness, and we will call on our elected officials to reject budget cuts that only worsen the crisis and stand against fines and mistreatment of the homeless.
We know what works! Communities are fighting for proven solutions. We want to use this moment to lift up what YOU are fighting for in your community. This is an opportunity for YOU to share your story.
If you’d like to host your own event, fill out the registration form to be featured on the official Housing NOW! National Day of Action website. Click the button below to get involved!
Download Printable Rally Signs & Social Media Graphics
Whether you’re joining us on April 22nd or hosting your own Housing NOW! event, click below to download printable rally signs and social media graphics. Share them with your community and help spread the word!
We want to hear from you!
Housing insecurity affects millions, and your voice matters. Whether you’re experiencing homelessness, living in a shelter, or struggling to afford rent, we want to share your story. Housing impacts us all, and by speaking out, we can demand real change. Your experiences will be amplified to show how the housing crisis is devastating lives—and why we need Housing NOW.
How to Participate:
- Submit a written story using the button below. Answer this question: How is housing impacting you?
- Share a video on Instagram or TikTok—tag @nationalhomeless and use #HousingNowto be heard.
Thank you for raising your voice and taking action!
Background: Last April 22nd, groups fighting to end homelessness held “Housing Not Handcuffs” rallies and actions in DC and cities across the country during the “Grants Pass” Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution does not protect the poor and homeless against the cruel and unusual punishment of being ticketed or arrested even when they have no choice but to sleep outside. Since the decision, over 150 cities have passed laws that make it illegal to be homeless and laws and budget cuts that will make homelessness worse are spreading.
This year, federal budget cuts will leave more people poor, homeless and sick; and laws that make it illegal to be homeless means more people will be arrested for trying to survive. More and more people struggle to pay rent and more and more people are becoming homeless. Instead of focusing on real solutions like housing and services, Donald Trump, Congress, and their billionaire cronies are pushing budget cuts AND criminalization, while cutting their taxes for the rich and increasing their power.
The real solution to homelessness is housing, along with care and services for those struggling with unmet needs. But instead of funding what works, Donald Trump and Congress are proposing massive budget cuts that will make more people homeless, poor, and sick. At the same time, they are spreading laws that make it illegal to be poor and homeless, which will lead to increased ticketing, incarcerating, and institutionalizing of people struggling to survive.
It does not have to be this way. Nobody should be homeless or poor in a country as rich as ours. Advocates in DC and around the country will join together on April 22nd to demand Housing NOW!
Here are some links to legislative and policy solutions you are welcome to download and share:
- NCH 10-Point Plan to End Homelessness in Your City, County or State A comprehensive framework aimed at state and local governments to solve the housing crisis, and address the needs of those struggling on the streets.
- Housing Not Handcuffs has a suite of sample legislation and guidance around alternatives to making it illegal to sleep outdoors.
- Report: From Crisis to Care: Addressing Addiction, Mental Health, and Homelessness through Health and Supportive Services
Will you stand with us?! Share your event and make an impact! Register now to take action.
WHO WILL BE THERE?
Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless
Politician, nurse, pastor, and Black Lives Matter Activist
President and CEO; The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Local Actions Hosting Housing Now! National Day of Action
Upcoming Events
📍Washington, DC
- Housing NOW! National Day of Action, Capitol Building East Lawn, 11am – 2pm, April 22nd, 2025
- Shared Meal and Film Screening, Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 East Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20003, 3pm – 6pm, April 22, 2025
📍California
- Fremont
- Palisades
- Sacramento: Teach-in, April 22, 12:15pm, 909 12th Street
- Sacramento: Press Conference, 651 I Street (main jail), April 22 6pm
- San Diego
- San Francisco: Lake Merrit Courthouse, 1pm – 4pm, April 22 Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP)
- Los Angeles: City Hall, April 22 Housing is a Human Right
📍Colorado
- Denver: Ice Cream social, Lincoln Park, April 22, 5pm
- Pueblo
📍Florida
- Hollywood
- Miami Beach City Hall: April 22 MCARE
📍Idaho
- Boise: April 22 Boise Homeless Coalition
📍Kentucky
- Louisville: Injustice Sqaure (Corner of 6th street & W.Jefferson st.), April 22 VOCAL KY
- Lexington: 101 Barr St., Lexington Ky, 40507, April 22 VOCAL KY
📍Maine
- Portland: Maine Mall, 11am – 1pm, April 22, memorialblanket.org and Through These Doors
- Portland: Monument Square, 5pm
- Bangor
📍New York
📍Montana
- Missoula: Teach-in, Good Works, April 22, 6-7:30pm
📍Ohio
- Cleveland: Rally and Pack the City Council, April 22, 3:30pm, 2079 E 9th Street
📍Oregon
- Medford
- Portland
📍South Carolina
- Charleston
📍Texas
- Austin: April 22 VOCAL TX
- San Antonio
