On Friday, President Donald Trump released a “skinny” budget request, signaling the administration’s goal to gut many critical HUD programs and make changes to how funds are allocated.
We need you to tell Congress what we actually need from a federal budget.
What’s At Stake:
The President’s budget request includes a reduction in funding for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants by $532 million. Even more worrisome, the budget proposes consolidating the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program-along with Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)-into the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program.
The CoC Program represents the federal government’s key vehicle for distributing homelessness funds. The proposed consolidation would effectively eliminate funding for critical activities, including Permanent Supportive Housing, Coordinated Entry, dedicated HMIS grants, and overall Continuum of Care planning.
This action alone would place more than 166,000 households residing in Permanent Supportive Housing-all who have a disability, many of whom are formerly chronically homeless- at risk of returning to homelessness.
What Congress Can Do:
Congress, not the President, is responsible for deciding how federal funding is dispersed through the Appropriations process. Congress has the power to ensure that communities have the funding they need to address the growing homelessness and affordable housing crisis. We must urge Congress to reject the President’s budget request and instead pass a budget that ensures that critical, life-saving programs can continue to operate.
In FY2026, the Alliance is recommending that Congress provide HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants account with a total appropriation of $4.922 billion for FY2026. Read more about this here.
What You Can Do:
Members of Congress in both the House and Senate are circulating sign-on letters (“Dear Colleague” letters) in support of the Alliance’s recommended funding request for the Homeless Assistance Grants, as well as other funding related to address homelessness.
Please urge your Members of Congress to sign on to these letters in order to protect and expand federal funding for our most vulnerable neighbors. Add in examples from YOUR community of why this funding is so important, the impact it has had, and the impact that increased funds would have in your community.
The more lawmakers sign on to these letters, the more seriously the appropriators will take our requests.
3 KEY WAYS TO ADVOCATE TODAY:
- Call your lawmakers’ D.C. offices
-The Capitol Hill switchboard is (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the House or Senate office you request. Don’t know what to say? Please use this script or change it to convey your own message. Remember to provide your name and address so the staff know you are a constituent, take you seriously, and will send you a written response.
–To Representative: “Homelessness is at a historic high, and our community needs your support! HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants programs play a critical role in efforts to prevent and end homelessness in our district. [Add in examples of why this funding is so important and the impact that increased funds would have in your community]. Please sign the Moore-Bacon letter to the House THUD Appropriators in support of $4.92B for Homelessness Assistance Grants.”
-To Senator: “Homelessness is at a historic high, and our communities need your support HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants programs play a critical role in efforts to prevent and end homelessness in our state. [Add in examples of why this funding is so important and the impact that increased funds would have in your community]. Please sign the Reed letter to the Senate THUD Appropriators in support of $4.92B for Homelessness Assistance Grants.” - Send a personalized email to your lawmaker’s office.
– If you already have a staff contact or email address for your Member of Congress’ office, please email them directly instead of using the form. Lawmakers are more likely to pay attention to emails directly from their constituents that?include personal details, rather than form emails. Create your own e-mail using the information provided in this message, customize it with specific details on potential impact for your organization and community, and email it directly to your Member of Congress’ offices. - Fill out the Alliance’s online advocacy form.
-Enter your name, address, and email address, and a sample message will be sent to your Members of Congress. Please customize this email if possible!
Thank you for your advocacy for people experiencing homelessness!
Marcy Thompson
VP for Programs and Policy
National Alliance to End Homelessness