WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report released June 3 by Housing Not Handcuffs, a national campaign that seeks to end the criminalization of homelessness by advocating for housing as a human right, alleges that the Texas-based Cicero Institute has maintained financial and political ties to industries that could benefit from increased criminalization of unhoused individuals.
The Cicero Institute, known for promoting policies targeting homelessness, has come under scrutiny in the report for what Housing Not Handcuffs describes as connections between the organization’s leadership and industries that stand to gain from enforcement-based responses to homelessness.
Cicero Institute founder Joe Lonsdale and his associates within the organization, according to the report, have connections to private prison operations, surveillance technology companies and defense contractors. Housing Not Handcuffs argues these relationships conflict with the organization’s stated principles and raise concerns because several of the institute’s policy proposals encourage law enforcement responses to homelessness.
8VC, Lonsdale’s venture capital firm, has invested in several companies involved in surveillance technology, policing and immigration enforcement. The report contends these investments create potential financial incentives aligned with policies that increase monitoring and criminal penalties for vulnerable populations.
Housing Not Handcuffs reports close connections among Lonsdale, the Cicero Institute and organizations seeking to operate and establish additional private nonprofit prisons. The report argues that these relationships undermine Cicero’s policy advocacy because they could result in increased arrests, detentions and overall incarceration rates among unhoused people.
The report further states that the institute’s advocacy arm, Cicero Action, has lobbied in support of military and defense spending initiatives that extend well beyond Cicero’s stated mission of addressing public policy issues related to homelessness and governance.
By examining Lonsdale’s political contributions, the report found multiple donations to former President Donald Trump and other elected officials, several of whom have supported legislation and policies similar to those promoted by the Cicero Institute. The report also claims that Cicero has directly influenced federal homelessness policy.
According to the report, provisions included in a recent executive order addressing homelessness reflect recommendations previously advanced by the think tank. As a major force behind legislation that increases penalties for homelessness-related activities, Housing Not Handcuffs’ description of the Cicero Institute aligns with its broader criticism of approaches that emphasize enforcement and mandatory treatment programs rather than housing-based solutions.
The report argues that several policies which further criminalization are unlikely to reduce homelessness. It states that such policies instead increase health and housing instability and contribute to higher rates of incarceration among affected populations.
Housing Not Handcuffs advocates expanding access to affordable housing and community-based assistance, including supportive services. The organization argues that less punitive measures are a more effective approach to addressing homelessness.
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