This weekend, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that continues to fund the federal government through November 17. The bill also includes $16 billion for disaster relief. The short-term CR prevents the government shutdown that was otherwise expected. The CR maintains the previously appropriated year’s level of funding for federal programs for 45 days, giving lawmakers more time to reach an agreement on full-year appropriations bills. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have spent weeks crafting, putting forward, and ultimately rejecting CR proposals. Senate leaders released a CR on September 26 that would have extended federal funding to November 17 and provided additional assistance for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund, as well as additional aid to Ukraine. However, some Republican senators held up swift passage of the bill in the chamber, ultimately delaying the vote until September 30.
Meanwhile, in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) capitulated to the demands of far-right members of his caucus, bringing forward a CR on September 29 that would extend government funding for just 31 days, in exchange for an almost 30% cut to already appropriated funds for most non-defense programs – including those administered by HUD. It is not clear what, if any, practical impact such a proposal would have on HUD programs. However, with a fractured caucus and united opposition from Democrats in the chamber, Speaker McCarthy could not muster enough votes to move the proposal forward. Ultimately, Speaker McCarthy brought a “clean” CR to the House floor for a vote, Some Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the clean CR, ensuring enough votes for passage.
Take Action!
Now, the House will continue to bring individual spending bills to the House floor for consideration and vote, including the appropriations bill that funds essential programs at HUD. Because the cost of housing and development rises every year, it is crucial that HUD’s affordable housing and homelessness assistance programs receive increased annual appropriations just to maintain the current number of people and communities served.
Without additional funding, people who rely on HUD’s programs for safe, stable housing will be in danger of losing their assistance. Together, we can – and have – achieved historic protections and resources for renters with the lowest incomes, and together we can continue to fight the ongoing threat of cuts to HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness resources. Advocates can use NLIHC’s Legislative Action Center to call or email their members of Congress and urge them to pass a clean CR and to expand – not cut – funding for HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness programs in the FY24 budget.
Keep making your voice heard and tell Congress that it cannot balance the federal budget at the expense of people with the lowest incomes! Advocates can take action TODAY in the following ways:
- Contact your senators and representatives to urge them to expand – not cut – investments in affordable, accessible homes through the FY24 spending bill, including by:
- Providing the Senate’s proposed funding for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and Project-Based Rental Assistance programs. While both the House and Senate provided increased funding for these vital programs, it is unlikely that the House’s proposed funding levels would be sufficient to renew all existing contracts. The Senate bill provides funding not only sufficient to renew existing voucher contracts, but to expand vouchers to an additional 4,000 households.
- Ensuring full funding for public housing operations and repairs. Both the House and Senate bill proposed funding cuts to the Public Housing Capital Fund, despite an over $70 billion capital needs backlog in the public housing portfolio. While the Senate bill provided increased funding for Public Housing Operations – which the House bill cut – it is crucial that these programs receive increased funding in FY24 just to maintain the current level of services.
- Allocating the Senate’s proposed funding for Homeless Assistance Grants. HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program provides vital funding to respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
- Protecting funding for legal assistance to prevent evictions in the Senate bill. The Senate maintains $20 million in funding for a new grant program for legal assistance to prevent evictions, which the House proposal eliminated.
- Appropriating the House’s proposed funding for Native housing. While both the House and Senate bills would provide increased funding for native housing programs, the House spending bill would provide a more than 40% increase from FY23 to the Native American Housing Block Grant program – a significant investment towards addressing the housing crisis on tribal lands.
- Join over 2,100 organizations by signing on to a national letter from the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF), calling on Congress to oppose budget cuts and instead to support the highest level of funding possible for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources in FY24.
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