Like many things Trump, designed to cause chaos, his skinny budget decimates homeless and housing services as we know them.
Hard to tell from the 40 some page skinny budget what it all means. But the National Low Income Housing Coalitions Interim President says this:
“The proposals outlined in this preliminary request are not only untenable, they are unconscionable,” said NLIHC’s Interim President and CEO Renee Willis. “At a time of rapidly rising rents, increasing economic hardship, and a record number of people experiencing homelessness, the Administration should be asking Congress to expand – not slash – federal investments in affordable housing and homelessness assistance, and working with Congress and communities to ensure these vital resources are available to every household in need.”
Their alert says this is what the the orange guy’s proposal would cut:
- 43% cut or $26.72 billion in rental assistance programs (Section 8, Public Housing, housing for elderly and disabiled (811) and project based rental assistance)
- Cut $532 million from homeless programs.
- Cut $479 million from CDBG, HOME and Indian & Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant funds as well as the Family Self-Sufficiency program
- Cut $296 million from Health Homes and Lead Hazards programs.
- Cuts the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (incentivizes states to adopt inclusive zoning practices)
- Cuts the Fair Housing Initiatives Program which funds state and local fair housing organizations to investigate and adjudicate fair housing complaints.
They would block grant the funds left for the rental assistance programs to the state to administer. Mind you, the state doesn’t have the infrastructure set up to do this. It would also impose a 2 years limit on the rental assistance for “able-bodied adults” and ask the state share in the responsibility for this funding.
For homeless services, they also limit the assistance to homeless persons for 2 years and it appears they would eliminate Permanent Supportive Housing – which in our community is around 190 units at risk.
It kinda goes on and on and on – heating and cooling assistance funding, rural rental assistance and development programs, FEMA funds that go towards Shelter programs, etc etc etc
So, let that sink in for a moment.
And then . . . do the only thing we can do – call your congresspeople and senators . . . to tell them about the importance of affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources to you, your family, your community, or your work. You can use NLIHC’s Take Action page to look up your member offices or call/send an email directly!
Normally, I would say to call Pocan and Baldwin cuz they generally vote the right way. This time, they have so many battles to fight in so many areas, lets make sure they know this is one of the areas that really matters and that it is on their radar screens.
I’d also urge you not to panic. Trump has thrown out a lot of bullshit that hasn’t stuck . . . lets all do our part but calling our federal representatives, and see how it plays out over the next few weeks and months.
As I find out more, I’ll let you know. I’m particularly interested in what this would mean in our community, so when I get my hands on those numbers, I’ll let you know! We saw and 18% increase in homelessness last year, we need an 18% increase in funding, not these drastic cuts.U