In 黑料吃瓜网, more than 161,000 people are facing housing insecurity, as the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) threatens to cut half of all employees and scale back funding for critical housing programs.
黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 HUD field office is on a list of offices being considered for closure. However, the department has not confirmed whether it will close.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he contacted the federal office four times regarding the status of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 HUD office and what programs may be cut, without response.
鈥淭hey may not know at this point, because when I say dumb is the word to describe what they're doing, it is careless, reckless, inept,鈥� Blumenthal said of the Department of Government Efficiency鈥檚 (DOGE) planned cuts. 鈥淭hey fire people first and plan if they're going to plan at all.鈥�
HUD is in charge of the Section 8 housing voucher program. It is also responsible for administering funding for new affordable housing construction.
One half of HUD employees, and two-thirds of the nation鈥檚 HUD field offices may be cut, Blumenthal said. Additionally, $260 million in already appropriated funding was canceled.
鈥淚ncredibly inexplicably, inexcusably, the federal government is backing away from an obligation that it has to provide for housing in states like 黑料吃瓜网 and across the country,鈥� Blumenthal said.
Homelessness has increased in 黑料吃瓜网 by about 30% since 2021. More than 60% of 黑料吃瓜网 residents receiving federal rental assistance are disabled, elderly or children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
HUD is also a critical source of funding for homeless services, including the state鈥檚 various Coordinated Access Networks, that connect unhoused people to shelter and housing options.
Potential HUD cuts would not only impact housing vouchers, but the employees working to keep people housed, Sarah Fox, Executive Director of the 黑料吃瓜网 Coalition to End Homelessness said.
鈥淭hat means the people doing work on homelessness that provide our vital services are losing their critical positions for HUD 黑料吃瓜网,鈥� Fox said. 鈥淲e have worked so closely with HUD at the state level. They have helped us to build an effective system. They have been partners in every single piece of the work that we have done. We have relied on their expertise. Their support has been fundamental.鈥�
With the uncertainty surrounding HUD funding and what programs may be affected, housing advocates and politicians are grappling with the potential for a state without federal housing aid.
Brittany Ignace works with many low income renters and Section 8 recipients, who are already feeling the stress of impending HUD changes.
鈥淲e do think it's too early to tell,鈥� Ignace said. 鈥淲hat we expect is that a lot of people are going to lose the public housing or vouchers, and that's going to be available for so many less people than it currently is.鈥�
