(NewsNation) — Some 60,000 people could soon be scrambling to pay rent if Congress doesn’t add funding to a federal program supporting those fleeing homelessness and domestic violence.
The Emergency Housing Voucher program launched in 2021 as part of then-President Joe Biden’s pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act to help people escape homelessness, domestic violence and human trafficking — but it’s running out of money faster than expected.
The program was allocated $5 billion, a sum originally expected to last until the end of the decade, but funding is now projected to run out by the end of next year, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development obtained by The Associated Press.
60,000 Americans to lose their rental assistance and risk eviction unless Congress acts
If the funding runs out, tens of thousands of EHV recipients may have to find other ways to cover their rent, otherwise, they could be evicted. One analyst told the AP it would be among the largest one-time losses of rental assistance in the U.S.
A March letter from HUD advised groups dispersing the funding to “manage your EHV program with the expectation that no additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming.”
The rapid increase in the cost of rent is the main reason funding ran out faster than anticipated.
According to the latest program data, California has the most EHV beneficiaries (15,421), followed by New York (9,458) and Texas (3,486).
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, is pushing for an $8 billion infusion to shore up the program.
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“The success of EHVs in helping to end homelessness for tens of thousands of households cannot be
overstated and, in addition to building more affordable housing, are an effective tool to combat homelessness,” Waters wrote in a recent letter to Rep. French Hill, R-AR, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
The organizations lobbying Republican and Democratic lawmakers to re-up the funding told the AP they aren’t optimistic.
During his first term, President Donald Trump repeatedly called for massive spending cuts to HUD programs, and Republicans are currently trying to cut federal spending to afford tax cuts.
On Monday, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) warned that Trump’s 2026 budget proposal is expected to include massive spending cuts to HUD’s affordable housing programs and urged Congress to increase funding instead.
“The EHV program has been extremely successful, helping almost 60,000 people and families – and in particular families with children – find and maintain stable housing,” NLIHC said in a memo to members.
In a recent interview, HUD Secretary Scott Turner blasted government housing subsidies and said they were “never meant to be a hammock” but rather, “a trampoline to project people on a different trajectory.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
