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61 August 2025 J O U R N A L themortgagepoint.com August 2025 » creating greater barriers for people to access housing—something that is already far too scarce. Fining people who already can't afford to live makes no sense and will only result in longer-term homelessness." In 2024, homelessness increased by 18% nationwide, with a record high of 771,480 people experiencing homeless- ness. At the same time, there is a nation- wide shortage of 200,000 shelter beds and a shortage of 7.1 million affordable and available rental homes. Rep. Jayapal and Frost's bill is a re- sponse to a ruling in the Supreme Court case City of Grants Pass v. Johnson that found local ordinances prohibiting pub- lic camping and sleeping, even when no shelter is available, do not violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. The Grants Pass decision allows cities to enforce anti-camping laws, even if they lead to the criminalization of homeless- ness when no alternative shelter exists. "Since the Grants Pass decision, cities across the country have passed nearly 220 bills to criminalize homelessness, including in my own district. These policies don't solve homelessness; in- stead, they dehumanize our unhoused, saddle them with criminal records, and make it even harder for them to find stable housing. It's a vicious cycle that the Housing Not Handcuffs Act seeks to end," Rep. Frost said. "At a time when the cost of living is at an all-time high and Trump's Big Ugly Bill will only help the rich get richer and the working poor get poorer—we're fighting to make sure everyone has access to safe, decent, and affordable housing, not handcuffs." Since the Grants Pass ruling, more than 260 anti-homeless laws have been passed by cities and states. Criminal- izing homelessness creates greater barriers to accessing housing. Typically, these punishments come with fines, which create further financial strain on people who can already not afford the basics, and may create a criminal record, making it more difficult to get a job or apply for housing. The Housing Not Handcuffs Act will ensure that people who are homeless cannot be criminally or civilly punished for: • Living on federal lands unless safe, decent, accessible shelter is available; • Asking for or sharing food, water, money, or other donations in public places; • Praying, meditating, or practicing religion in public spaces; • Occupying a lawfully parked motor vehicle; • Storing their possessions and enjoy- ing privacy in their personal proper- ty to the same degree as property in a private dwelling. The legislation is co-sponsored by Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Sylvia Garcia, Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr, Summer Lee, James P. McGovern, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib, and Nydia M. Velázquez. ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT BRINGS BACK MI PREMIUM TAX DEDUCTION A s part of President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, a provision is included to reinstate and make permanent the deductibility of mortgage insurance (MI) premiums, returning a deduction to taxpayers that will provide middle-class homeowners with meaning- ful tax relief without increasing risk in the housing finance system. "The One Big Beautiful Bill has passed, locking in the largest tax cut in American history and ushering in Amer- ica's Golden Age," said HUD Secretary Scott Turner via X. Beginning in 2007, the tax code allowed qualified homeowners to deduct MI premiums paid to private MI compa- nies and government agencies, including "The One Big Beautiful Bill has passed, locking in the largest tax cut in American history and ushering in America's Golden Age." — Scott Turner, HUD Secretary