🔥 Hot Topic 🔥
Housing at Risk: The Trump regime proposed to drastically cut long-term housing funding for unhoused people
The Trump regime issued a policy change that would have upended housing policy and forced 170,000 people – most of them seniors and people with disabilities – back into homelessness. On November 15th, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the 2026 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which included ideological mandates and sweeping funding cuts to permanent housing programs for people experiencing homelessness. BREAKING NEWS: The CoC NOFO was challenged in court by a coalition of organizations and city governments. On Monday, December 8th, HUD informed the court that it withdrew the November 2025 HUD CoC NOFO. The administration claims they will assess the issues raised and will offer a “revised” NOFO. At this time, it remains unclear what revisions will be made and when a new notice will be posted. Because HUD’s CoC NOFO process was already delayed, this additional delay could result in some programs running out of funds, hurting local programs and putting tenants at risk.
The CoC program is the largest federal program to address homelessness. It is supposed to provide funding for state, regional, or local CoC programs to coordinate community level response to house people who are unhoused using proven, evidence-based interventions. However, the now withdrawn CoC NOFO would have introduced structural barriers that increase homelessness and jeopardize the health and survival of communities most impacted by HIV.
The HUD changes would have included:
- Transferring funds from permanent housing programs to transitional housing assistance programs, which may require work or service. Previously, 87% of program funding for 2026 was for supportive permanent housing, but under the new policy only 30% of funds will be used for that purpose.
- Ideological mandates that attack trans people, immigrants, and equity initiatives. The NOFO would allow HUD to deny funding to organizations that recognize the existence of trans and gender diverse people. It also would have required organizations that receive funding to comply with expansive anti-immigrant and anti-DEI conditions.
- Punishing organizations for harm reduction and Housing First approaches. The NOFO would allow HUD to reject an organization’s application for past or present harm reduction activities, including restricting organizations from engaging in these efforts outside of their CoC-funded projects. It also includes a penalty for organizations that follow “Housing First” principles – a successful, evidenced-based model that prioritizes providing housing first, and offers voluntary supportive services to address underlying issues, such as drug use or mental health challenges.
HUD claimed the changes would increase “accountability,” promote “self-sufficiency,” and align with Trump’s executive order on “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.” However, research proves that providing permanent housing decreases homelessness more effectively than high-barrier, treatment-first approaches. HUD’s policy changes would have put 170,000 people at risk of experiencing homelessness and puts programs at risk by leaving months-long gaps after current funds end, leading to risk of tenant displacement. Moreover, transitional housing excludes people who need the most support.
The Trump administration’s attempted funding shift, reflects a step away from housing first and harm reduction policies to a more punitive approach to homelessness. Organizations not aligned with the administration’s priorities are likely to see attacks on funding. Housing first and harm reduction policies not only work, but are essential solutions for affordable housing and homelessness.
STAY INFORMED:
If you’re receiving any housing subsidy, we urge you to contact your subsidy provider to check the status of your subsidy and how your subsidy may or may not be impacted by these changes.
CALL TO ACTION: This fight is not over!
HUD is revising the CoC NOFO and will likely re-issue it. Remind your Congress Members that we’re watching this process closely and demand uninterrupted, holistic funding to support permanent housing for unhoused people.
National Health Care for the Homeless Council urges you to contact your Congressional representatives to advance a no-cost extension of current CoC Funding:
Ask members to directly communicate with the White House and HUD to maintain the two-year CoC funding cycle as approved by Congress.
Urge members to support and prioritize budget language that ensures renewal of existing programs for 12 months, preserving the two year funding cycle.
Describe the positive impact that permanent housing makes in your jurisdiction.
🗞️ Top News Roundup 🗞️
LGBTQ+ Health, Rights, and Justice
The Supreme Court issued a show docket ruling upholding the Trump Administration’s passport gender marker ban as not differential treatment. For more information on document changes, see the A4TE ID documents center for up to date information on federal documents and state specific policies on document changes.
- The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down an Ohio school board policy that prohibited cisgender students from repeatedly and intentionally misgendering transgender peers in the classroom. The court said misuse or targeted ongoing harassment both did not “materially and substantially” disrupt school activities. This careless decision endangers transgender students and their ability to learn in school.
- The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Obergefell v. Hodges that would overturn marriage equality. If Obergefell was overturned, the state governments would determine marriage. Unfortunately 35 states have a constitutional ban on marriage equality and/or statute prohibiting LGBTQ+ couples from marrying which would go into effect automatically.
Access to Healthcare
- The continuing resolution that ended the government shutdown did not address the upcoming expiration of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits. A proposal to extend EPTC is expected soon as the deadline for 2026 coverage, December 15, approaches and millions see higher monthly premiums.
- States are enacting laws to lower perception drug costs for residents in response to federal inaction. State laws that target different parts of the supply chain can lower out of pocket costs for patients.
- Catholic hospitals have officially banned gender affirming care for transgender patients. This is a disturbing update as Catholic hospitals make up a large share of hospitals or are the only center in some communities.
Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice
- The US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, heard oral arguments to determine if Congress can strip Planned Parenthood of Medicaid dollars for non-abortion services. Planned Parenthood’s appeal comes after a court lifted the temporary pause on defunding Planned Parenthood centers in September.
A 20 year old South Carolina woman was arrested for attempted murder and child neglect for trying to end her pregnancy with medication. This news comes after there was a shooting at a South Carolina Planned Parenthood Clinic. Despite this troubling news, SB32, a bill that would threaten abortion patients with the death penalty, banned certain birth control and even criminalized speech, was defeated!- Republicans in Wisconsin proposed a bill that mandates “catch kits” for miscarriage or abortion. The legislation would force people who use abortion inducing drugs (for unwanted pregnancy or miscarriage) to bag the pregnancy tissues and bring to the doctors as medical waste.
Economic Justice
- Due to Trump’s Big, Ugly Murder Bill, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) changes start in December. Changes include work requirements and narrow exemptions.
- In the last year, electricity has increased twice as fast as inflation. Older women in retirement homes or on Social Security benefits are disproportionately affected. A new congressional report shows that households can expect to pay $100 more this year in electricity. Higher demand and rising costs are due to artificial intelligence expansion, oil and gas drilling, space heating, and electrified forms of transportation.
- Colorado voters passed a ballot measure which fully funds free meals for all K-12 public school students. In response to the Big, Ugly Murder Bill’s cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), voters also passed a ballot measure that raises taxes on households with incomes over $300,000 annually, to help fill funding gaps for the school lunch program.
Ending Criminalization
- The Supreme Court will hear a case challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “metering” policy as a violation of federal law. The metering policy allows DHS to turn away asylum seekers before they enter the United States, which prevents people from applying for asylum.
- DHS proposed a radical expansion of biometric surveillance, including fingerprint, facial recognition, iris image, and DNA evidence, on anyone (citizen or non-citizen) who applies for an immigration benefit or is associated with an application for such a benefit. DHS also proposed “biological sex” DNA testing part of the mass biometric surveillance program.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are using smartphone applications to scan the faces of people on the street to verify their citizenship status. The facial recognition software is collecting data from citizens without their consent and may lead to wrongful detention of citizens.
Election Updates
- November election results across the country showed what we already know to be true, candidates do NOT need to abandon trans people to win. Voters showed that trans rights are an important requirement for political candidates.
- A federal Judge blocked President Trump’s executive order that requires proof of U.S citizenship on federal voter registration forms. The ruling reinforces that States and Congress hold responsibility for election regulation.
- The battle over redistricting continues across the country. The Supreme Court blocked a lower court ruling that found that Texas’ congressional redistricting plan discriminates on the basis of race. Additional redistricting fights continue in CA, NC, MO, and Utah.
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