Protect Federal Housing Resources:
Oppose DOGE Task Force at HUD & Budget Cuts
in CR

Right now, critical federal programs and resources that keep people in stable homes are under attack.

Add your voice to all those who are speaking out against large and thoughtless cuts to the federal workforce, including the proposal by the DOGE Task Force at HUD to cut the HUD workforce by 50%, impacting the Illinois Field office and entire country. Many HUD workers have already lost their jobs; eliminating even more will escalate our country's longstanding affordable housing crisis. 

We also need to keep sending the message that a government shutdown, full-year Continuing Resolution (CR), or cutting federal housing programs to help pay for tax cuts for the wealthy would all be deeply harmful. These are directly counter to making sure everyone has a home.

We need more federal support to address our nation’s longstanding housing crisis, not less.

The proposed full-year CR fails to lower the cost of housing and instead cuts rent subsidies, leaving landlords having to cover the rent or evict more than 30,000 households across the country, including veterans, survivors of domestic violence, seniors, and families with disabilities. The full year CR also includes $168 million less than what is needed to maintain homeless services nationally.

HUD staffing cuts have already resulted in many federal workers being fired. Current leadership at HUD recently terminated nearly half of the grants to organizations that enforce fair housing laws across the country, including agencies in Illinois.

What's at stake?

Vital programs that support crucial work, including:

• Preventing and ending homelessness through funding of Continuum of Care networks covering every county in Illinois
• Providing resources that help people afford rent in the private market (e.g., Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Section 8), as well as publicly owned housing
• Assisting people in becoming homeowners through HUD-approved housing counseling programs, which offer unbiased expert guidance as clients work with private mortgage lenders, as well as to keep homes through funding for home repair programs
• Educating people about federal fair housing laws and helping people exercise their rights
• Revitalizing and keeping properties and neighborhoods vital through programs like CDBG and HOME
• Eliminating health hazards in homes, particularly through funding to address the presence of lead in water and paint
• Providing heating assistance to keep people warm during the winter through LIHEAP
• Serving rural communities by supporting affordable rental housing and home ownership opportunities through USDA programs  

These Programs are Essential

The widespread, positive impact these programs have in Illinois is clear. For example:  

• These programs help provide stable homes for children, seniors, and people with disabilities. 421,500 Illinoisans (221,000 households) rely on federal rental assistance to afford modest housing. Two-thirds (67%) are seniors, children, or people with disabilities.
• Rental assistance supports working families in making ends meet. 53% of non-disabled, working-age Illinois households receiving HUD rental assistance include at least one worker.

Right now, 4 in 10 low-income people in Illinois are experiencing homelessness or pay over half their income for rent. However, most of those who are eligible do not receive federal rental assistance, due to limited funding. Waiting lists to get rent assistance are generally closed or years long.

The budget cuts currently being proposed at present will result in even fewer people being assisted. This will result in more evictions and more homelessness, at a time when these are already both increasing due to the shortage of affordable housing.

Please contact your members of Congress as soon as possible. The importance of getting our messages to elected officials will undoubtedly continue to increase, especially as March 14 gets nearer. This is the expiration date for the current Continuing Resolution (CR) for fiscal year 2025, which is keeping the federal government operating.

Please thank our members of Congress who are working to protect and expand federal housing resources, including providing the highest possible funding levels for HUD programs in the final fiscal year 2025 budget.

If your Congressional representative supports budget cuts to pay for tax breaks for wealthy people and corporations, let them know you don’t agree. Speak up about how this will hurt your neighbors and community.