As Los Angeles gears up to host the Olympic Games in 2028, local officials and homelessness advocates are increasingly worried about potential actions from President Donald Trump concerning the homeless population.
With the recent appointment of himself as the head of an Olympics task force, Trump has taken controversial steps in cities like Washington, D.C., where he has asserted control over local policing and initiated measures aimed at relocating homeless individuals, claiming they will be given shelter ‘FAR from the Capital.’
Gary Blasi, a UCLA School of Law professor emeritus and a noted researcher on homelessness, expressed concerns about worst-case scenarios during the Olympic Games.
He stated, ‘Based on everything that has happened so far… I think you would have to be irrational not to worry about a worst case scenario, where federal troops are effectively forcing poor people on the street to relocate to what is essentially a detention center somewhere out of sight.’
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Washington, D.C., police and federal agents are currently clearing homeless encampments and offering shelter bed options alongside the threat of fines and jail time for those who refuse help.
Leavitt also hinted at plans that might involve moving homeless individuals far from the city.
While specific plans for addressing homelessness in Los Angeles during the Olympics have not been disclosed by the White House, spokesperson Anna Kelly suggested that the city would greatly benefit if local officials were to emulate Trump’s approach to creating a ‘safe and beautiful’ environment in anticipation of millions of visitors.
Local officials have historically worked to portray their cities in the best light during the Olympics, which often involves cleaning up areas associated with homelessness near major venues.
Benjamin F. Henwood, director of USC’s Homelessness Policy Research Institute, noted the global attention Los Angeles will receive, stating, ‘The eyes of the world will be on Los Angeles,’ leading officials to express a desire for visitors not to encounter visible homelessness.
In the past, other cities have taken measures to address homelessness during the Games. For example, French authorities bussed homeless individuals out of Paris ahead of the 2024 Games, while during the 1984 Olympics, the LAPD utilized horse patrols to disperse homeless people throughout less visible areas in downtown Los Angeles.
Contrastingly, current Los Angeles city and county officials have expressed a commitment to local solutions that prioritize placing homeless individuals into interim and permanent housing, rather than relocating them out of the city.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has emphasized a ‘housing first’ approach, stating that her administration would not resort to busing homeless individuals out of the city as has been done in previous Olympic years.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has also ordered county staff to devise an encampment plan focusing on enduring housing solutions for upcoming significant events such as the Olympics and the 2026 World Cup, while also recognizing the need to ‘address’ encampments near Olympic venues for security considerations.
In Washington, D.C., President Trump has gone so far as to federalize local police and deploy the National Guard to maintain order, branding his actions as necessary for public safety.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has condemned these actions, arguing that federalizing local law enforcement and increasing military presence in cities is the behavior of ‘tyrants.’
Hahn also pointed out that the Trump administration’s cuts to social safety net programs severely weaken efforts to offer permanent housing to homeless individuals.
‘What the President is doing in D.C. should concern everyone,’ Hahn stated. ‘If he really wants to solve homelessness, he needs to get us the resources we need to get people housed and keep them housed.’
Nithya Raman, chair of the L.A. City Council’s housing and homelessness committee, voiced her apprehensions as well, warning about the devastating effects should similar measures to those threatened in D.C. be implemented in Los Angeles.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath labeled the Trump administration’s approach as one of ‘dehumanization,’ promising that the county would adhere to a principle of focusing on humane, lasting solutions to homelessness.
Katie Hill, a former Democratic member of Congress and current head of Union Station Homeless Services, conveyed her fears that the Trump administration could escalate toward a form of mass institutionalization for homeless individuals during the Olympics akin to federal immigration detention facilities, where inhumane living conditions have been reported.
‘He doesn’t care about the rules or the norms,’ Hill commented regarding President Trump’s approach. ‘There is a lot of federal facilities and land that they could use potentially as a detention facility.’
Blasi added that while the federal government would likely lack legal means to imprison individuals simply for being homeless in Los Angeles, they could create circumstances that effectively force individuals into confinement areas. This approach could potentially involve invoking emergency laws, although Blasi doubts courts would support such actions.
Since taking office in 2022, Mayor Bass has prioritized addressing homelessness, launching the Inside Safe program which guarantees housing offers and services to individuals before encampments are cleared.
Bass’s team has emphasized that acceptance of such assistance is voluntary, with no penalties for rejecting it.
Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass, stated, ‘The mayor is laser-focused on addressing homelessness through a proven comprehensive strategy,’ asserting that this initiative would progress regardless of the Olympics.
Data from the past two years reveal a decline in homelessness in both the city and county, with unsheltered individuals decreasing by 14% in the county and nearly 18% in the city since 2023.
Despite the strides made, approximately 47,000 individuals remain homeless on the streets in L.A. County.
Eric Sheehan, a member of the NOlympics group, voiced concern over potential federal actions during the Olympics but noted that the strategies employed by local officials may not differ considerably from those proposed by the Trump administration.
He highlighted the city’s existing no-sleeping zones and encampment cleanups, monitored closely by police, as experiences that could make Olympic preparations harmful to Angelenos.
‘…there isn’t a version of this Olympics that doesn’t hurt Angelenos,’ Sheehan concluded.
Amy Turk, CEO of the Downtown Women’s Center, criticized the reliance on law enforcement and military strategies as costly responses that only serve to displace vulnerable populations without addressing the root causes.
She specifically expressed concern over impacts on individuals escaping domestic violence.
To counter any negative effects from the Trump administration’s potential actions, Turk underscored the importance of nonprofits continuing their efforts to secure permanent housing and supportive services for the homeless.
However, funding limitations pose a substantial challenge.
Both state and local budget restrictions have led to decreased funding for homelessness services this year, including cuts to temporary housing subsidies that helped reduce homelessness in the previous years.
Katie Hill pointed out the urgency for increased funding to ensure that Los Angeles County can address homelessness independently rather than following the dictates of the Trump administration.
‘Where is the money going to come from to set up something that is more humane?’ she questioned.
image source from：latimes
