Some North American cities are using the upcoming World Cup as a catalyst to address homelessness. Atlanta launched a downtown program that has housed nearly 500 people. Dallas spent $10 million to reduce downtown street sleeping by 87%. Seattle is opening 75 tiny homes just before the tournament. However, an Associated Press survey found that most host cities are not adding new funding. Instead, officials in places like New York and Toronto say they are relying on existing programs. Meanwhile, activists report that some cities are still clearing encampments. They accuse officials of trying to hide the problem before tourists arrive.
Chris Moore airs out blankets that got wet during the previous day's rain at his makeshift tent near Seattle Stadium, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer matches Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
A mother and her two children are greeted by Pope Leo XIV at CEDIA 24 Horas, a comprehensive support center for homeless people, in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, June 6, 2026, on the first day of his seven-day apostolic visit to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
By WAFAA SHURAFA and TOQA EZZIDIN - Associated Press
There is not a single proper toilet across the vast tent cities housing most of Gaza’s 1.7 million Palestinians left homeless by the war. Displaced families have largely been left on their own to dig their own latrines, some shared by extended families. The improper cesspits spread foul odors and pools of sewage. At communal camp toilets, people wait in long lines then do their business behind a thin cloth separating them from the crowd of strangers outside. Women fear walking to the communal toilets at night. Mostafa Shaaban dug a latrine in a corner of his tent close to where his family sleeps and eats.
Mason Stanhope works on installing interior elements of a Pallet Shelter unit in in Seattle on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The units, made of composite panels, are part of Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson's plan to expand shelter for the city's homeless. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes)
A worker inspects the top of a Pallet Shelter unit being installed in Seattle on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The single-bed units, made of composite panels, are part of Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson's plan to expand shelter for the city's homeless. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes)
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has advanced to a November runoff in her bid for reelection. After a shaky first term marked by the most destructive wildfire in city history, the Democrat surpassed a large field of contenders to qualify for the second round of voting. Bass has acknowledged that her time in office has been bumpy but pointed to reductions in homelessness and a historically low homicide rate in the nation’s second most populous city. She is a former member of Congress and the first Black woman to serve as mayor. A tally of mail-in votes on Tuesday shows Bass is trailed by outsider Spencer Pratt. Democratic city council member Nithya Rama is further back.
A federal report shows a decrease in homelessness in California and nationwide last year, marking the first drop since 2016. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released the data, which reveals a 2.8% decrease in California and a 3.3% decrease nationwide. Activists challenge the Trump administration's policies, attributing the decline to funding under former President Joe Biden. The administration, however, downplays the decrease, focusing on a 27% increase since 2013. The report's release was delayed by five months and has sparked debate over policies like "housing first" and immigration's impact on homelessness.
