Appropriators to Begin Drafting Spending Bills After Recess – Take Action!

With the release of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request last week, members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will begin working on their FY27 spending for federal programs. Congress returns from spring recess next week. Appropriators are charged with drafting 12 annual spending bills for federal programs. This includes the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) bill that funds HUD’s vital affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs. They must complete this work before October 1, the beginning of the new federal fiscal year.   

The President’s budget request called for an overall 10 percent cut to non-defense programs, including at least a $3.8 billion cut to HUD’s vital affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs. The White House requested $73.5 billion in funding for HUD in the coming fiscal year, a roughly 5% cut from the $77.3 billion for HUD programs that Congress provided in the final FY26 budget. See NLIHC’s full analysis and an updated budget chart for an overview of funding levels for select HUD programs.  

The President’s budget request, a standard part of the federal appropriations cycle, is primarily a messaging tool the administration uses to signal its priorities for the coming year; only Congress has the power to appropriate funding for federal programs and services. Before releasing their FY27 spending bills, House and Senate appropriators will meet with members of the Trump Administration to question them on the President’s budget request; the hearing featuring HUD Secretary Scott Turner has not yet been scheduled.   

House appropriators are aiming to begin reviewing their spending bills – a process known as “markups” – in mid-April. The Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, which is responsible for funding HUD programs, is expected to hold a markup of its FY27 spending bill on May 21, with a full committee markup potentially scheduled for June 4. While these dates may change as the House’s schedule is finalized, the House’s FY27 THUD spending bill must be released before the subcommittee markup. The Senate has yet to release a potential markup schedule.   

Take Action: Tell Congress to Provide the Highest Possible Funding for Affordable Housing and Homelessness Programs in FY27!  

NLIHC is calling on Congress to once again reject funding cuts and harmful policy changes proposed in the White House’s budget request, and instead provide the highest possible funding for HUD’s affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs, including for NLIHC’s top priorities:  

• Full funding to renew all existing Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) contracts, including ensuring continued assistance for Emergency Housing Voucher holders.
• At least $5.1 billion for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants program to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
• Increased funding for public housing operations and capital needs, to help maintain and efficiently operate public housing.
• Increased investments in programs that support the construction and preservation of deeply affordable, accessible housing, including full funding for all Section 811 PRA and PRAC renewals, at least $424 million for new Section 811 PRA contracts, and full funding to renew all existing contracts under the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly program. 
• At least $15 million for HUD’s Eviction Prevention Grant Program (EPGP), to provide communities grants to establish right to counsel and other programs that help people avoid eviction and remain housed. 
• At least maintained funding of $1.1 billion for the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program, and increasing funding to $150 million for the IHBG-Competitive program.  

Advocates can take action today by: 

• Emailing or calling members’ offices 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!   
• Sharing stories of those directly impacted by homelessness and housing instability. Storytelling adds emotional weight to your message and can help lawmakers see how their policy decisions impact actual people. Learn about how to tell compelling stories with this resource.     

Visit NLIHC’s Advocacy Hub for more information and resources that can help you take action and help protect the affordable housing programs people rely on.