Join November 10 Day of Action to Demand Congress Block Harmful OMB Proposal and Provide Needed Housing Investments in FY27

By Kim Johnson, NLIHC Senior Director of Policy 

Even with the House and Senate in recess until November 9, advocates can continue weighing in with their elected officials on the importance of making long-term, large-scale investments in affordable, accessible homes, rental assistance, and other resources to address the housing needs of the millions of families, workers, people with disabilities, older adults, and other people with the lowest incomes. When they return, lawmakers will have just five weeks in session to address a number of outstanding priorities, including funding federal programs and services after the current continuing resolution (CR) ends December 11; without either another CR in place or final fiscal year (FY) 2027 spending bills enacted, the federal government will enter a partial shutdown.  

In addition to pushing for needed investments in affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs in HUD’s final FY 2027 spending bill, NLIHC and our partners in the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF) are joining the National Council of Nonprofits’ (NCN’s) November 10 Day of Action to urge Congress to permanently block implementation of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) proposed rule, “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance.”  

If finalized, the proposal would reshape the framework for federal funding awards across agencies to ensure funds are not used to support programs that run afoul of the administration’s policy positions, including programs that support disparate impact; diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; or “gender ideology.” NLIHC strongly opposes the rule, particularly due to its potential impact on federal housing programs, and is calling on Congress to permanently block its implementation. CHCDF is also launching an organizational sign-on letter highlighting the rule’s potential impact on housing programs and calling on appropriators to permanently block its implementation. Read and join the letter here.  

Tell Congress to Expand and Protect Federal Investments in Affordable Housing and Homelessness Assistance Programs!  

Because the costs of rent, housing development, and homelessness services increase every year, HUD programs like Tenant- and Project-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA and PBRA), Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG), and Public Housing must receive increased funding to maintain the services they currently provide. Flat funding, like in a long-term CR, acts as a cut and reduces the number of people and communities served by HUD programs.  

The House’s FY27 spending bill proposed a drastic 8% cut to HUD programs overall and would provide a less than 1.5% increase in funding for contract renewals under HUD’s TBRA program. A recent analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that, if enacted, an estimated 471,000 fewer people would receive housing vouchers to help them afford rent in 2027. Typically, when one family no longer needs to use their voucher, public housing authorities (PHAs) can give that voucher to a new family on the waitlist for assistance; without a sufficient increase in funding, PHAs administering vouchers cannot provide vouchers to new families when others leave the program. 

Any final FY27 spending bill should at least provide sufficient funding to maintain services for currently assisted households, ensuring the millions of people helped by HUD programs do not lose the assistance they rely on for safe, stable, affordable, accessible homes, including:  

• Providing at least $45.6 billion for TBRA programs, which would be enough to renew all current TBRA contracts.  
• Investing at least $5.1 billion in HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program.  
• Fully funding the Public Housing Operating Fund at the full, formula-determined need, plus $598 million to address the cumulative shortfall in Public Housing operations reported in FY25; and providing increased funding for the Public Housing Capital Fund to begin addressing the capital needs backlog in Public Housing. 
• Investing in accessible, affordable homes for older adults and people with disabilities by fully renewing all existing PBRA contracts and Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs) and expanding funding for the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly and Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities programs.  
• Providing at least $15 million for HUD’s Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP), which gives communities grants to establish right to counsel and other programs that help people avoid eviction and remain housed.    
• At least maintaining $1.1 billion for the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program and increasing funding for the IHBG-Competitive program to $150 million, targeted to tribal communities with the most urgent housing needs. 

In addition to increased funding, Congress should include in their final FY27 spending bills language limiting the administration’s ability to rescind, withhold, freeze, or otherwise prevent appropriated funding from reaching communities, and reasserting Congress’s exclusive authority to expend federal money: 

• Permanently block implementation of OMB’s proposed rule, "Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance.” OMB published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would radically reshape the federal grantmaking process, giving the administration broad authority over the grantmaking cycle, including the authority to suspend or terminate a grant if a recipient runs afoul of the administration’s policy positions. Congress included in its most recent CR language delaying implementation of the rule until the CR expires on December 11; federal lawmakers should stop the administration from moving forward with these harmful changes by including language permanently blocking implementation of OMB’s proposal. 

• Protect funding for Continuum of Care (CoC) programs so they are not destabilized by potential changes from the administration. HUD’s CoC program is the backbone of the nation’s homelessness response system, providing funding to thousands of communities around the country for services like permanent supportive housing. The Trump administration has proposed drastic changes to the program that would disrupt communities’ homelessness response efforts and put an estimated 97,000 people who had previously been experiencing homelessness at risk of losing their housing. The National Alliance to End Homelessness’s factsheet details the threats to homelessness assistance funding and the language needed to protect these important resources.  

• Block implementation of other harmful proposed regulatory changes by HUD, including the Equal Access rule, “Mixed-Status” rule, and disparate impact rule. HUD has proposed changes to existing regulations that would limit access to shelter, housing, and needed services for LGBTQ+ people, households with members who are immigrants, and people experiencing housing discrimination. Congress should include language in HUD’s final FY27 spending bill blocking implementation of these proposals and ensuring people—regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, race, familial status, nationality, immigration status, or disability status—can access the resources they need to find and maintain safe, stable, affordable, and accessible homes.   

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!    
• Organizations can also join CHCDF’s sign-on letter calling for the highest possible funding for HUD and USDA affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs in any final FY27 spending bills. Read the letter and sign your organization on here.  
• Joining NCN’s National Day of Action on November 10 to urge Congress to block implementation of OMB’s harmful proposed changes to the federal grantmaking process. Learn more about key changes in the proposal and its impact on housing programs, and use NCN’s tools to take action. Organizations can also join CHCDF’s letter calling on appropriators to block the rule.  

• 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.     

• Using NLIHC’s August Recess Advocacy Toolkit for ideas and information on engaging members of Congress when they are in their home states or districts, including:  

• How to schedule an in-district meeting with a member of Congress or invite an elected official to tour a housing development in your community.   
• NLIHC’s policy priorities for the remainder of the current Congress.   
• Links to additional resources for more information and to help understand what the affordable housing crisis looks like in your community.   

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.