December marks Universal Human Rights Month, which commemorates the United Nations’ adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states,

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care.”

As 2025 comes to a close, the urgency and weight of defending human rights have never been more apparent. For many Americans, the past year has been defined by uncertainty and deepening hardship, as people increasingly struggle to afford basic necessities such as housing, food, and healthcare.

Positioned at the center of the country’s political, economic, and social turmoil, DC has been significantly affected by some of the Trump administration’s most regressive and harmful policies. From mass federal layoffs and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history to the Congressional spending bill that unexpectedly cut $1.1 billion of DC’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) budget, the city’s economic stability and social landscape have been overhauled in the past year. These challenges have been further exacerbated by Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), which aims to dismantle SNAP, Medicaid, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Cuts to these programs will hurt our most vulnerable populations, and as the administration continues to erode the social safety net, instability and need will only grow.

Housing, Hunger, Healthcare and Human Rights 

Skyrocketing food prices and mounting food insecurity have been at the forefront of public attention this year. Following a steep rise in 2024, food insecurity in the DC region persisted at alarmingly high rates in 2025, affecting more than 1 in 3 people, or 1.5 million people. While the overall number of individuals in DC experiencing food insecurity remained relatively stable over the year, the severity of hunger intensified. For the third year in a row, “very low” food insecurity increased, standing 6 percent higher than in 2022. Rather than address rising grocery prices or worsening hunger, the OBBBA stated that SNAP funding will be cut by a historic $186 billion over the next decade. A few months later, the President would withhold SNAP funding from states during the government shutdown. Although the government’s reopening restored SNAP benefits, the administration’s actions underscored a blatant disregard for human rights.

Medicaid has also been subjected to federal and local policy changes. Republican leaders’ refusal to renew the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, the move that prompted the government shutdown, is expected to more than double Medicaid premiums for millions of Americans. At the local level, DC residents face additional barriers to healthcare access. In an effort to address the $1.1 billion budget deficit, the DC City Council approved a bill that would make approximately 25,000 adults ineligible for Medicaid. Most of these individuals, but not all, will be moved to the new “Healthy DC Plan” on January 1, 2026, which will not offer all of the same benefits as Medicaid. More than 271,400 DC residents were enrolled in Medicaid in 2024. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US, where one unexpected medical bill can be the difference between remaining housed and experiencing homelessness. These policy changes and funding cuts threaten to place healthcare out of reach for even more Americans. 

Like food and healthcare access, federal support for affordable housing has also experienced significant drawbacks. At the end of 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that homelessness throughout the nation had increased by 18 percent. Despite this national rise in homelessness, overall homelessness in DC decreased by 9 percent, and family homelessness declined by 18 percent in 2024. DC’s success demonstrates how sustained investment in Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) can effectively reduce homelessness. This November, HUD announced that it would be slashing PSH funding by 70 percent, a move that would potentially leave 170,000 people homeless. HUD has since rescinded this statement, following a lawsuit by 20 states, but the future of PSH funding remains uncertain. Without continued support, DC’s progress in reducing homelessness could be reversed, leaving more people vulnerable to the intersecting crises of hunger, illness, and housing insecurity. 

Looking to 2026

Throughout 2025, we have all watched as federal programs that provide food, healthcare, and housing have been systematically gutted in favor of providing the nation’s wealthiest people with tax breaks. Some of these policy changes are already affecting the families we serve at Housing Up, who rely on programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, and PSH. Unfortunately, the chaos of the past year shows few signs of easing in 2026. Housing Up is prepared to address the challenges ahead and to position itself at the forefront of human rights advocacy in DC. We have been fighting to end family homelessness for more than 35 years, and we refuse to give up in the face of an administration that devalues people who need its support the most. 

Before the year ends, we need your help to ensure the more than 900 families we serve continue to have access to affordable housing. We could not do the work we do without the support of our incredible and dedicated community. Thank you for sticking by us this year, and we look forward to meeting 2026 with renewed collective energy. Make your donation at housingup.org/EOY and join Housing Up in our mission to end family homelessness in the District.