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 Budget Resolution Debate Continues

Congress returns from its Presidents’ Day recess on February 23. The House of Representatives will continue its debate about whether or not there will be an FY17 budget resolution and what it will contain. According to media reports, House Budget Committee Chair Tom Price (R-GA) expects to bring a…

Deadline Extended to Feb. 29 to Sign Letter Supporting THUD Funding

Advocates for transportation, housing, community development, and ending homelessness are working together to urge Congress to provide the highest possible funding for the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittees. The deadline for…

President Sends FY17 Request to Congress

President Barack Obama delivered his FY17 budget request to Congress on February 9. The request is the first formal action toward completing FY17 appropriations bills before the October 1 start of the next fiscal year. The President’s proposed budget is within the spending caps set by the “…

House Conservatives Call Spending Caps Too High

Despite promises and pleas for “regular order” in the annual budget process by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI), House Republicans’ most conservative wing, the House Freedom Caucus, is complaining that the spending caps agreed to in late fall 2015 are too generous and need to be trimmed. They…