Trump’s Executive Orders: A Looming Threat to American Households in 2025-2026

The housing crisis in America is a ticking time bomb, with over 10 million low-income households spending more than half their income on rent, teetering on the edge of eviction or homelessness. As President Donald Trump took office in 2025, his administration unleashed a flurry of executive orders that, rather than addressing this crisis, threaten to deepen it. These actions could reshape the lives of millions of American households, particularly the most vulnerable, in 2025 and 2026. Let’s unpack the impacts and what they mean for families across the nation.

A Housing Crisis Ignored

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) paints a grim picture: three out of four eligible households can’t access federal housing assistance due to chronic underfunding. Meanwhile, 770,000 people experience homelessness on any given night. High housing costs were a top concern for voters in 2024, yet the Trump administration’s early moves seem to sidestep solutions, doubling down on policies that could exacerbate instability for renters, marginalized groups, and communities nationwide.

Rolling Back Equity in Housing

One of Trump’s first executive orders targets diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs across federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This move halts efforts to address systemic racism in housing—a crisis rooted in decades of discriminatory practices like redlining. Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, who face disproportionate housing insecurity, stand to lose critical protections. Without DEIA, fair housing and civil rights enforcement could weaken, leaving families vulnerable to discrimination and exclusion.

Why it matters: Housing inequity isn’t just a policy issue—it’s a moral one. Stripping away tools to fight systemic bias risks perpetuating cycles of poverty and segregation.

Crippling HUD’s Capacity

HUD, tasked with overseeing federal housing investments, is already stretched thin. Trump’s executive action imposing a hiring freeze could grind the agency to a halt. Understaffed and overworked, HUD may struggle to distribute funds for rental assistance, affordable housing construction, or homelessness prevention. This bottleneck could delay or derail state and local efforts to address urgent housing needs, leaving families in limbo.

Quick fact: HUD’s budget for 2025 is $255 billion, but staff shortages could hamstring its ability to deploy these funds effectively.

Targeting Vulnerable Communities

The administration’s orders also take aim at marginalized groups. By rescinding protections for LGBTQ individuals, particularly transgender people seeking shelter, the administration risks pushing more people into unsheltered homelessness. Denying fair housing and civil rights protections could expose these communities to harassment and discrimination, compounding their vulnerability in an already dire housing market.

Real-world impact: Without safe shelters, transgender individuals may face life-threatening risks, especially during extreme weather or economic hardship.

Punishing Sanctuary Cities

Trump’s executive order targeting sanctuary jurisdictions—cities and states that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement—could choke off federal housing funds. These jurisdictions rely on grants to build affordable housing, provide rental assistance, and combat homelessness. Cutting them off would undermine local governments’ ability to serve families, regardless of immigration status, and could destabilize entire communities.

Example: Cities like San Francisco and New York, which prioritize inclusive policies, could lose millions in HUD funding, stalling critical housing projects.

Deterring Immigrants from Aid

Perhaps most chilling is the decision to allow immigration enforcement in “sensitive” areas like disaster relief centers and homeless shelters. This reversal of prior guidelines could deter immigrant families—including those with U.S. citizen children—from seeking help during crises. Fear of deportation may keep families from accessing rental assistance, disaster recovery funds, or safe shelter, leaving them with nowhere to turn.

Human cost: Imagine a family avoiding a shelter during a hurricane, fearing arrest. This policy could cost lives.

A Missed Opportunity

Voters in 2024 demanded action on housing affordability, but these executive orders sidestep the root causes: a shortage of affordable homes, stagnant wages, and regulatory barriers. Instead of expanding housing supply or boosting funding for vouchers, the administration’s actions risk deepening the crisis. Advocates warn that without intervention, evictions and homelessness will spike, hitting low-income and marginalized households hardest.

What’s Next?

The NLIHC and other advocates are mobilizing to oppose these orders, but the road ahead is uncertain. Legal challenges, like a February 2025 injunction against the anti-DEIA order, offer hope, but the administration’s aggressive push to reshape federal policy could outpace resistance. American households, already stretched thin, face a precarious future unless policymakers prioritize real solutions.

Thought Questions:

1. How can communities advocate for affordable housing when federal support is at risk?

2. What role should state and local governments play in countering these executive orders?

3. How might the loss of DEIA programs affect your community’s efforts to address housing inequity?