TAMPA, Fla. — A shift in federal homelessness policy could change how communities across Tampa Bay help people get off the streets, as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development moves away from a housing-first approach and places more emphasis on treatment, recovery and self-sufficiency.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner said this week that the issue is personal for him and that billions in federal spending have not reversed the crisis.
“I am very passionate about this,” Turner said. “As you know, I’ve experienced this with my uncle and my own family.”
HUD counted more than 745,000 people experiencing homelessness nationwide in 2025, down 3% from the previous year but still above pre-pandemic levels. Turner said the federal government must reconsider how it measures success.
“What we were doing before was awarding the number of people in units and the amount of money spent, but yet we still had a record amount of homelessness with record funding,” Turner said. “And so you can’t continue to do the same thing over and over again if it’s a failed model.”
The change challenges the housing-first approach, which does not require sobriety or treatment before someone can access permanent housing.
Along Tampa’s Nebraska Avenue, homelessness remains a visible concern for residents and businesses. Albert Cooke, president of the Nebraska Avenue Business Association and chair of the Tampa police chief’s advisory board, said people experiencing homelessness often gather near Borrell Park, where he lives.
Cooke said businesses near the park have been affected and that taxpayers should expect results from programs receiving public money.
“Whether it’s property tax or a sales tax or income tax or business tax, whatever it is, we want to see results,” Cooke said.
Cooke said the policy shift could prompt a closer look at how local providers use resources and whether they are making measurable progress in Tampa. He said local organizations he has visited offer wraparound services.
He also said communities must decide how to prioritize limited assistance.
“If you have a single mother who is unhoused and struggling, does she get the bed? Or does the guy who’s a chronic drug user and on the street?” Cooke said. “We have to help those who want to get help and build themselves back up.”
But advocates say homelessness is not always tied to addiction or mental illness, and treatment alone will not solve the housing crisis.
“Treatment programs are great, but treatment programs are not going to close the gap between a paycheck and the rent,” said Chalette Davis, executive director of Love INC of Metro Tampa.
Davis said leaders need to address affordability and the job market.
“What we really need to address locally, statewide and nationally is the affordability problem here, and also just the job market creating more opportunity,” Davis said.
Tarae’ B. Maye said this month marks two years since she began transitioning out of homelessness. She now runs her own marketing business and said finding a safe place to live was critical to her mental health.
“You’re trying to keep your things and stay safe,” Maye said. “It only becomes a mental issue when you don’t have that safety and security, which is housing, a safe place to lay your head.”
Davis said families often need continued support after leaving homelessness, including food pantries, bicycles, furniture, car repairs and dental assistance.
“We really need this social services landscape, the safety net, in order to help our neighbors make ends meet,” Davis said.
As federal priorities change, local providers face a larger question: how to meet different needs with limited resources and keep people from falling back into homelessness.
Love INC of Metro Tampa is hosting its “A Walk in Their Shoes” event Saturday at the Portico in downtown Tampa. The interactive experience will give participants a closer look at the challenges of poverty and homelessness while sharing stories of people who have overcome those barriers. The event begins at 8:30 a.m.