After enormous pressure from advocates and congressional champions, the Trump administration rescinded its extreme directive to all federal departments and agencies, including HUD, to freeze all federal assistance funding! Thanks to the work of advocates everywhere, states and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and low-income families can continue to receive the critical resources needed to address our nation’s most pressing affordable housing and homelessness challenges. NLIHC will continue to closely monitor any future attempts by the Trump administration to withhold federal investments or undermine key HUD programs.
Background
Thanks to swift and effective advocacy from across the nation, the Trump administration succumbed to enormous pressure to reverse the memorandum released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directing all federal departments and agencies, including HUD, to temporarily freeze all congressionally approved federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities.
This victory by advocates ensures that states and local governments and nonprofit organizations can still access federal resources used to:
- Provide rental assistance to help low-income households afford their homes.
- Build and preserve affordable rental housing for low-income households.
- Operate and maintain public housing and other affordable housing for millions of seniors, people with disabilities, and families with young children.
- Address and prevent homelessness, which has reached its highest level on record.
- Revitalize neighborhoods, promote economic development, and improve community facilities, including infrastructure and services in low-income communities.
- Investigate and enforce fair housing and civil rights laws.
- Rebuild housing and infrastructure after major disasters and mitigate future harm.
- Ensure low-income households have access to heat in winter.
- Provide downpayment assistance to new homebuyers and help current homeowners make critical repairs.