House appropriators approved top-line funding allocations – known as “302(b)s” – on May 23 that would slash funding by 10% in fiscal year (FY) 2025 for programs covered under the Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD). The funding levels were adopted after a party-line vote of 30-22, with all committee Republicans voting in favor of the cut.
Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) and colleagues are writing their FY25 domestic spending bills at levels significantly lower than the final FY24 appropriations levels, omitting a “side deal” negotiated last year that allowed spending above caps imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. Overall, funding levels approved by House Appropriators would decrease domestic spending by 6% and increase defense spending by 1%.
"I am experiencing deja vu all over again, as we begin down an already well-trodden path towards chaos, division and shutdown threats," said House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). "Like last year, we are beginning this year's process with topline funding levels that fall well short of what the American people need, and well short of what both parties already agreed to." Ranking Member DeLauro and committee Democrats released a fact sheet detailing cuts across the 12 spending bills.
With the 302(b) levels approved, appropriations subcommittees in the House will begin drafting their FY25 spending proposals. Chair Cole released an ambitious timeline for the Appropriations Committee to finish drafting, reviewing, and voting on their FY25 spending bills. The THUD subcommittee will review the FY25 THUD bill on June 27, with a full committee review scheduled for July 10. Even if the committee is able to meet these deadlines, there is no expectation a final FY25 spending bill will be approved before the November elections.
Funding for HUD’s affordable housing and homelessness programs must increase every year to maintain the number of people served. Cuts to programs such as public housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-Based Rental Assistance, and Homelessness Assistance Grants reduce assistance to people who rely on these programs to keep a roof over head, putting them at risk of deteriorating public housing, housing insecurity, eviction, and in worst cases, homelessness.
Take Action: Tell Congress to Provide Significant Funding Increases for HUD in FY25
Your advocacy makes a difference. It is thanks to the hard work of advocates that in FY24 – at a time when programs faced cuts of up 25% – HUD received increased funding in the final spending bill.
Congress needs to keep hearing from you about the importance of affordable housing and homelessness programs. NLIHC is calling on Congress to provide the highest possible funding for HUD’s affordable housing and homelessness programs in FY25, including significant funding for NLIHC’s top priorities:
- Full funding to renew all existing contracts for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and expand assistance to 20,000 more households.
- $6.2 billion for public housing operations and $5.2 billion for public housing capital needs.
- $4.7 billion for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program.
- $100 million for the Eviction Prevention Grant Program.
- At least $1.3 billion for Tribal housing programs, plus $150 million for competitive funds targeted to tribes with the greatest needs.
Advocates can continue to engage their members of Congress by:
- Emailing or calling members’ offices to tell them about the importance of affordable housing and homelessness resources to you, your family, your community, or your work. You can use NLIHC’s Take Action page to look up your members’ offices, or call/send an email directly.
- Using social media to amplify messages about the country’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis, and the continued need for long-term solutions.
- 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.
National, state, local, tribal, and territorial organizations can also join more than 2,300 organizations on CHCDF’s national letter calling on Congress to support the highest level of funding possible for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources in FY25.