A group of U.S. senators, led by Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), has called on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to stop proposed changes to the Continuum of Care (CoC) program. The senators sent a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, expressing concern that the planned changes could force nearly 200,000 people back into homelessness.
The letter was signed by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), and 37 other Senate colleagues. The lawmakers urged Secretary Turner to use his authority to renew existing CoC grants for Fiscal Year 2025 and avoid disruption for vulnerable Americans.
“We write to express our deep concerns regarding the instability the entire homeless support system could face if funding delays, uncertainty, and rushed policy changes continue,” wrote the lawmakers. “HUD must immediately reconsider these harmful and potentially illegal changes that could result in nearly 200,000 older adults, chronically homeless Americans with disabilities, veterans, and families being forced back onto the streets. As Secretary, you have the authority to avoid this worst-case scenario by carrying out the previously planned and Congressionally authorized two-year [Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)], and we strongly urge you to do so expeditiously.”
The senators raised particular alarm about a reported new cap on permanent housing funds within CoC grants. According to their letter, current guidelines allow 87 percent of CoC funds to be used for permanent housing; however, under proposed rules this would drop to just 30 percent. They argued this change appears contrary to federal law and ignores research supporting permanent supportive housing as an effective approach for helping chronically homeless individuals and families.
“The most troubling of these changes is a new, arbitrary cap on the amount of funds that may be used for permanent housing. Currently, 87 percent of CoC funds support permanent housing, but the new NOFO reportedly limits the amount of funding for permanent housing to only 30 percent. This appears to be in contravention of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, undermines local decision-making authority, and ignores decades of research that has proven that permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing are less costly and more likely to be successful in providing long-term stability than other strategies, particularly for chronically homeless people and families,” continued the senators.
The letter also criticized HUD’s communication with stakeholders and Congress regarding its plans since January 20. Lawmakers said repeated policy shifts have created uncertainty across communities nationwide.
“For months, our staffs have sent HUD countless questions about its intents and actions around CoC funding that have remained unanswered, undermining Congress’s ability to carry out its legislative and oversight functions. Real people in every community across the country rely on these funds to address homelessness. The funding competition process for fiscal year 2025 has not begun, and with CoC project awards beginning to expire in less than two months, HUD is simply out of time,” continued the senators.
“There is a better way forward,” concluded the senators. “HUD’s current path risks causing a dangerous spike in street homelessness and creating chaos in urban, suburban, and rural communities alike by forcing nearly 200,000 chronically homeless Americans with disabilities and families back onto the streets. We implore you to make the better choice and expeditiously renew current CoC grants for fiscal year 2025 as authorized by Congress to protect communities and avoid displacing thousands of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals.”
Other signatories included Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as well as Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff(D-CA ), Jeanne Shaheen(D-NH ), Elissa Slotkin(D-MI ), Chris Van Hollen(D-M D ), Mark Warner(D-V A ), Raphael Warnock(D-G A ), Peter Welch(D-V T ),and Ron Wyden(D-O R ).
The full text of their letter is publicly available.
