The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.

The new director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness put the entire 20-person staff of the agency on administrative leave Monday, furthering the administration’s effort to dismantle federal housing programs. While the President cannot legally abolish the agency outright, its legal authorization expires in 2028 unless Congress takes action to renew it.
According to a New York Times article by Jason DeParle, “Once seen as a vehicle for bipartisan work, [the Council] has come under conservative criticism for promoting a policy called Housing First, which houses some homeless people without requiring them to seek treatment for mental illness or substance abuse.” The agency administered homelessness prevention and relief programs at a time when the unhoused population has reached alarming highs.
A separate article by the same author explains that the Council actually advanced the administration’s goal to improve efficiency: “In coordinating the homelessness work of 19 federal agencies, the council seeks to eliminate duplication and make Washington more accessible to local organizations. Eliminating its annual budget, $4 million, would save about as much as the government spends every 18 seconds.”
Even critics of Housing First don’t want to see the agency eliminated altogether. Tom De Vries, CEO of the Citygate Network representing faith-based housing groups, says an agency that prioritizes and coordinates homelessness prevention efforts at the federal level is necessary.
FULL STORY: Trump administration places staff of homelessness agency on leave.

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions