Federal Budget & Spending

Despite a proven track record, federal housing programs are chronically underfunded. Just one in four households eligible for federal housing assistance actually receive the help they need, leaving the rest to struggle to afford the cost of rent. 

Expanding resources available to help people with the lowest incomes find and maintain safe, stable, affordable, accessible housing depends on increasing federal appropriations. NLIHC monitors the federal budget process and advocates for the highest possible allocation of resources at HUD and the USDA Rural Housing Service to support deeply affordable housing and homelessness resources. 

NLIHC is also a Steering Committee member of the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding, a coalition of over 75 national organizations working together to ensure robust resources to address America's housing crisis. Learn more here.

Budget Trends

image-20231031140827-1Fact of the Week: Housing Assistance Budget Authority as a Share of GDP Has Declined Precipitously, Spending Relatively Consistent, Since the 1970's
 
Budget Analysis for Fiscal Year 2026

NLIHC FY26 Budget Chart for Key HUD Programs (Updated 7/25/25)

Budget Analysis for Fiscal Year 2025

NLIHC FY25 Budget Chart for Key HUD Programs (Updated 7/25/24)

Budget Analysis for Fiscal Year 2024 

NLIHC FY24 Budget Chart for Key HUD Programs (Updated 3/3/24)

Budget Analysis for Fiscal Year 2023 

NLIHC FY23 Budget Chart for Key HUD Programs (Updated 12/19/22)

Additional Resources 

For more information on Budget and Appropriations, contact Kim Johnson, Policy Manager, at [email protected].

Memo to Members and Partners Articles

House Appropriations Committee Passes FY17 USDA Spending Bill

The House Committee on Appropriations approved by a voice vote its FY17 spending bill for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on April 19. As we reported last week (see Memo 4/18), the bill would increase funding for USDA’s Rural Housing programs by $31 million over FY16 levels. The bill…

Advocates Oppose Balanced Budget Amendment

NLIHC joined 268 national organizations in sending a letter to Congress opposing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The letter states, “A balanced budget constitutional amendment would damage the economy, not strengthen it. Demanding that policymakers cut spending and/or…

House Democrats Urge Colleagues to Reject Policy Riders

House Democrats urged their colleagues to advance FY17 spending bills without policy riders that threaten to derail the appropriations process. More than 172 representatives sent a letter to House leadership, stating, “At a time when our country is confronting a range of urgent challenges, it is…

UPDATE: Senate Appropriations Committee Passes FY17 THUD Spending Bill

The Senate Committee on Appropriations passed its FY17 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) funding bill on April 21 by a vote of 30 to 0. The bill can now go to the Senate floor, perhaps as early as next week. When accounting for certain rescissions and…