Obama Urges Democrats to Change Approach on Homelessness

Former president says party must be 'practical' to build majority support for solutions.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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In a new interview, former President Barack Obama urged his fellow Democrats to change their approach on the issue of homelessness, arguing the party needs to be more 'practical' in order to build majority support for solutions. Obama said many Americans don't want to 'navigate around a tent city' in major urban areas, and the party won't be able to tackle the problem if they can't gain a working majority.

Why it matters

Homelessness has been a divisive issue, not just between moderate and progressive Democrats, but also among Republicans. The former president's comments highlight the political challenges of addressing this crisis, as Democrats try to balance moral concerns with the need to build broad public support for policies.

The details

Obama was speaking about immigration enforcement before making the comments on homelessness, arguing that progressive and moderate Democrats debate the two crises similarly online. He said Democrats need to acknowledge that 'the average person doesn't want to have to navigate around a tent city,' and the party won't be able to build enough support to tackle the problem if they can't build a working majority.

  • In 2024, the most recent year of data, homelessness in the U.S. reached its highest level since data collection began in 2007.
  • In July 2025, former President Trump signed an order directing the Attorney General to seek to reverse legal precedents limiting authorities' ability to move homeless people into treatment centers.
  • In June 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that people without homes can be arrested and fined for sleeping in public spaces.

The players

Barack Obama

The former President of the United States who discussed the issue of homelessness in a new interview.

Donald Trump

The former President who took a hardline approach to homelessness, including signing an order to move homeless people out of the nation's capital.

Pam Bondi

The former Attorney General who was directed by Trump to seek to reverse legal precedents limiting authorities' ability to move homeless people into treatment centers.

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What they’re saying

“Morally, ethically speaking, it is an atrocity that in a country that's wealthy, we have people just on the streets, and we should insist on policies that recognize their full humanity.”

— Barack Obama, Former President (usatoday.com)

“Sometimes, I think what happens in the online debate is, if somebody suggests, well, we have to have some immigration enforcement, then somebody is going to point at that child and say, 'So you don't care about that kid, so you must be a bad person.' The same would be true, let's say here in Los Angeles, around the homeless issue.”

— Barack Obama, Former President (usatoday.com)

“That doesn't mean that we care less about those folks. It means that if we really care about them, then we've got to try to figure out, how do we gain majority support and be practical in terms of what we can get through at this moment in time, and build on those victories.”

— Barack Obama, Former President (usatoday.com)

What’s next

The issue of homelessness is likely to remain a political flashpoint, with both parties continuing to debate the best approaches. Obama's comments suggest Democrats may need to rethink their strategy to build broader support for solutions.

The takeaway

Obama's remarks highlight the political challenges of addressing homelessness, as Democrats try to balance moral concerns with the need to gain majority support for policies. The former president's call for a more 'practical' approach suggests the party may need to compromise on some of its more progressive stances to make progress on this issue.