NY-603 Continuum of Care

TOOLS FOR APPROPRIATIONS ADVOCACY October is here, and still no Notice of Funding Opportunity for fiscal year 2025 Continuum of Care funding. And the federal government is “shut down” which makes it unlikely the NOFO will be issued as long as the shutdown continues. The strategy on that remains the same: advocate with Members of Congress to force HUD to award the money by renewing the FY24 grants. Everything you need to do that is here: https://lnkd.in/dvyhp-Wx Meanwhile: The Alliance continues to advocate with Congress to improve funding for HUD’s homeless assistance programs for FY26. Funding for HUD programs is set through the Appropriations process, with funding levels set one year at a time, starting each year with 12 separate bills in the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate and finishing with the entire Congress passing and the President signing bills, sometimes consolidated into one omnibus bill. We need good funding levels for homeless services, housing, and supportive services like employment assistance. Supportive services that involve medical care are mostly funded through an entirely separate process, called reconciliation, that determines Medicaid funding levels. For the appropriations bill funding HUD programs, the House committee has passed a bill for FY26 with a small increase for Homeless Assistance, the Senate committee has passed a bill with a larger but still inadequate increase for Homeless Assistance, and the process has stopped. Fiscal Year 2026 started yesterday without any of the year’s appropriations bills enacted, which is why the government shut down. Congress may pass a “continuing resolution” which temporarily extends authority to spend money at the levels approved in FY25, and then pass appropriations bills for the rest of the year later. Over the years, and up to the present, Members of Congress on the Appropriations Committees have generally had a favorable view of HUD homelessness programs. This is because people in their districts and states make sure that these Members understand how this funding improves their communities. We want this trend to continue. The Alliance has a toolkit of materials to help people do this work: https://lnkd.in/dtiPe9MG Items in this toolkit will help people understand the appropriations process, put together persuasive cases based on local conditions, and make their Representatives and Senators part of their team. There will be many opportunities to use these tools: even though the public process is stalled for now, conversations are happening behind the scenes to settle on the total amount of money each department will receive, and what priorities are for funding. If you want to be involved with the Alliance’s work on appropriations, please be in touch!

“Caring for the poor is not enough — they need advocacy too.” In a new op-ed for the National Catholic Reporter, SVdP National President John Berry explains why frontline service organizations must also play a role in shaping policy. Drawing on the Society’s work with more than 5 million neighbors in need each year, John makes the case that those closest to poverty are also closest to the solutions. Advocacy rooted in direct service is essential to addressing the homelessness crisis and building more equitable systems. 📖 Read the full op-ed here: https://ow.ly/KXyp50X3288

The government is in a partial shutdown after funding expired on Sept. 30. This has immediate impacts for programs administered by HUD, HHS, and the VA and for the supportive housing field overall. Organizations are already seeing delays in grant disbursements, interruptions in federal staff availability, and restricted access to critical resources. To help the supportive housing field navigate the shutdown, CSH’s policy team has compiled a list of steps to take: ➡️Draw down any available and obligated federal funds ➡️Review and activate your contingency plans ➡️Document any disruptions to services or operations ➡️Stay engaged with advocacy efforts to push for swift resolution ➡️Contact your congressional delegation to communicate how the impact affects your organization and the people you serve CSH has outlined key impacts and action steps in this latest update https://hubs.la/Q03LPjr_0 #SupportiveHousing #GovernmentShutdown

Join NAHRO’s Policy and Legislative Affairs Team on Thursday, October 2 at 1:30 PM Eastern for an emergency Housing Update from Washington on the government shutdown! This 30-minute webinar is free and open to all. Congress failed to pass a temporary spending agreement to keep the government funded while they work on passing FY 26 funding bills. Government shutdowns can create uncertainty; join the NAHRO team to learn more about how we arrived at this moment and what a government shutdown could mean for your residents and communities. This emergency session has a new registration link, separate from the normal Housing Updates series: https://lnkd.in/eVan3FE3

It actually costs more to ignore homelessness. Studies show that providing housing with support services is more cost-effective than leaving someone to cycle through crisis systems, like emergency rooms and short-term shelter. Housing First isn't just what’s right — it's what works.

What should HUD CPD grantees expect during the shutdown? You will still have access to LOCCS. With a skeleton crew, CPD will only carry out “excepted activities.” For recipients of annual grants who already have access to your line of credit, this mostly means allowing you continued access your grants, but for some grantees, not large draws. No ongoing substantive support from your reps, who are likely furloughed, but TA providers will keep working. What if CPD has your Con Plan or Action Plan for review? The clock is not tolled by shutdown so chances are pretty strong that it will be deemed approved, since review of annual plans is not an excepted activity. For DR grantees, your Action Plans and Amendments will be reviewed but you likely won’t be able to get targeted support for things like eligibility questions. This links to HUD’s 9/30/2025 shutdown plan, which describes excepted activities. hud.gov/lapseplan

The federal government shutdown exacerbates the harm of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) dismantling of its fair housing mandate. Halting the services of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) during the nation’s fair and affordable housing crisis places the lives of millions of people in jeopardy, as fair housing is vital to people’s ability to live and thrive. Disabled veterans seeking to get off the streets and into permanent housing; seniors who need a safe place to live; families with children denied housing; survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault fleeing abuse; people with disabilities who are denied accessible housing; Black and Latino consumers trying to secure a mortgage on fair terms; women experiencing sexual harassment by their landlords; and others seeking housing free of discrimination will all be devastated by our federal government’s inability to enforce fair housing rights. This significant disturbance comes as HUD has already unlawfully eviscerated our nation’s fair housing infrastructure. And recent whistleblower complaints provide evidence of the ways that FHEO is disregarding its fair housing enforcement obligations. It also hampers HUD’s ability to advance responsible AI in housing infrastructure and guard against algorithmic discrimination in housing and lending systems, and risks potential housing displacements tied to the rapid construction of data centers.  NFHA urges Congress and the Trump administration to negotiate in good faith in the best interest of the people of America on a stopgap measure and ensure our nation’s fair housing laws are fully enforced. It is imperative that our government serves all people at this moment as they are relying on HUD’s crucial services and support for one of life’s most basic necessities—housing. People are worried sick about receiving fair housing opportunities to stay alive and thrive during these challenging times. Any attempt to use the shutdown to trigger a further major reduction of HUD FHEO staff must be avoided at all costs. FHEO operated for years with insufficient staff, and this administration has already decimated it. Further attempts to hollow out the division during a shutdown would be an abdication of HUD’s responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act while inflicting needless pain on the people of America. Read NFHA’s one-pager that explains the impact of the shutdown on the people of America seeking housing free of discrimination and the nonprofit, local fair housing organizations working to protect them. https://lnkd.in/e7r3EfN7