Homelessness isn't some mystery we don't know how to solve, argues German Lopez in a New York Times opinion piece. It's a problem many cities simply won't tackle with the tools already proven to work. Lopez points to Denver, which has seen its unsheltered population drop 64% since 2023; in 2025, Denver's drop was 13 times that of the national rate. Under a determined Mayor Mike Johnston, the city has paired encampment clearings and the credible threat of tickets or arrest with a rapid expansion of shelters and services, so officers and social workers have real placements to offer. Indeed, encampments with 10 or more tents fell 91% from 2023 to 2025.
Lopez tours "tiny home" villages and a converted hotel that function more like private apartments than warehouse-style shelters, where residents get a modicum of privacy along with case management aimed at permanent housing, jobs, and getting the documents they need to facilitate those things. Lopez acknowledges the next phase will be far more difficult, as those who remain on the streets are more likely to be experiencing mental illness or addiction. But he has a clear takeaway: The main ingredient in Denver's success is political will. "Policies that work in one place fail in another because officials can replicate the law or the money but not the leadership." He warns that Democrats need to muster that will, or their continued "failure to tackle homelessness" will prove increasingly problematic with voters. Read the full piece.
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