Statement from NLIHC President and CEO Renee M. Willis on Trump Administration’s FY27 Budget Request

Washington, DC - The Trump Administration released today its fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request. To no surprise, President Trump and HUD Secretary Scott Turner are once again calling on Congress to enact cuts and destructive changes to the programs that over 4.5 million households with low incomes – including families with children, older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and low-wage workers – rely on for a place to call home.  

While the request does not reiterate some of the most egregious proposals in last year’s budget request, it nevertheless fails to provide the resources and vision required to meet the affordable housing needs of communities across the nation. Despite widespread, bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the need to increase the nation’s supply of affordable, accessible housing, the proposal zeros-out funding for programs that help with affordable housing construction. The White House also continues pushing ineffective, outdated methods of addressing homelessness, proposing to shift funding away from programs that provide people permanent housing with services and toward short-term assistance that is less effective and more expensive.  

The budget request would add red tape for all families in HUD-assisted housing by imposing work requirements and time limits on households, while also preventing PHAs from issuing new vouchers; not only would families lose much-needed assistance under this request, but communities would be prevented from helping the next family in line. Rather than spending additional funding to expand resources, the budget instead proposes a new Program Integrity Initiative aimed at cracking down on alleged “fraud, waste, and abuse” in housing programs. Though HUD has never provided evidence behind these allegations, it nevertheless wants to invest in more  red tape and more hoops for families to jump through.  If enacted, these cuts and changes would undermine the stability and well-being of assisted households, putting them at risk of falling behind on rent and facing eviction or homelessness.  

These outrageous ideas are not new; last year, the administration called on lawmakers to enact historic cuts and changes to HUD programs. Thanks to the hard work of advocates and a bipartisan coalition of Congress championing affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources, Congress resoundingly rejected the administration’s request, instead providing an over $7.2 billion increase to HUD programs in the final FY26 spending bill. 

Advocates and policymakers must once again work to ensure Congress enacts a FY27 spending bill that increases investments in the programs millions of hardworking families rely on for safe, stable housing. Cuts to healthcare and food assistance, combined with the rising cost of gas, groceries, and other necessities, are already putting added strain on households struggling to make ends meet. Further eroding the country’s safety net with cuts to housing assistance will leave even more families without the resources they need to live with stability and dignity. 

At a time when more people than ever are struggling to afford the cost of housing, Congress should be working to expand – not slash – federal investments in programs proven to help people find and maintain a safe place to call home.  

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