The FY2018 Budget Request Cuts Assistance to Homeless People and People At-Risk of Homelessness by $6 Billion

Chronic Homelessness, Domestic Violence, Family Homelessness, Homelessness, Individual Homelessness, Veteran Homelessness, Youth Homelessness

The President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget Request proposes to cut funding to assist homeless people and people at-risk of homelessness by more than $6 billion compared to the enacted FY2016 funding level and the enacted FY2017 funding level, the latter which was not enacted at the time the budget request was prepared.

In the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) budget, funding to assist homeless people and those at heightened risk of homelessness is proposed to be cut by $165 million compared to FY2016 and $268 million compared to FY2017.

  • The Administration proposes level funding for Homeless Assistance Grants of $2.25 billion compared to the enacted Fy2016 level, which is a decrease of $133 million compared to the enacted FY2017 level, including a decrease of $60 million for Emergency Solutions Grants, a decrease of $38 million for Continuum of Care and Rural Housing Stability Assistance Programs, a decrease of $43 million for the Youth Demonstration, and a decrease of $5 million for the National Homeless Data Analysis Project, meaning less funding for emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, and street outreach.
  • The Administration proposes to entirely eliminate the Community Development Block Grant Program, which is a decrease of $3.0 billion compared to both the enacted FY2016 and enacted FY2017 levels and would result in a decrease of $35 million in assistance to homeless people, including $18.9 million for the acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of homeless facilities and $16.1 million for the operating costs of programs for homeless persons and AIDS patients compared to the FY2016 levels.
  • The Administration proposes to cut Tenant Protection Vouchers by $70 million compared to the enacted Fy2016 level and $60 million compared to the enacted FY2017 level, which would likely result in fewer vouchers for individuals and families who are homeless or at heightened risk of homelessness, including families with children at risk of imminent placement or delayed discharge out of out-of-home care because of lack of adequate housing and youth who were formerly in foster care and individuals and families seeking witness protection or whose homes are facing conversion or demolition.
  • The Administration proposes to cut HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Vouchers by $60 million compared to the enacted FY2016 level and $40 million compared to the enacted FY2017 level, which would result in fewer vouchers dedicated to provide housing with supportive services to veterans and their families and therefore with thousands of veterans and their families remaining homeless and in unsheltered locations.

In the Department of Homeland Security budget, funding to assist homeless people and those at risk of homelessness is proposed to be cut by $120 million compared to FY2016 and FY2017.

  • The Administration proposes to entirely eliminate the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, which is a decrease of $120 million compared to both the enacted FY2016 and enacted FY2017 levels and would result in less assistance to homeless shelters and soup kitchens and to prevent homelessness through the payment of security deposits.

In the Department of Health and Human Services budget, funding to assist homeless people and those at risk of homelessness is proposed to be cut by $6 billion compared to FY2016 and by a similar amount compared to FY2017.

  • The Administration proposes to entirely eliminate the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a decrease of $3.39 billion compared to both the enacted FY2016 and enacted FY2017 levels and would result in less assistance for home heating and energy bills for low-income families who have limited income for rent and utilities and more likely to increase the number of homeless families and the number of families without heat during cold weather.
  • The Administration proposes to entirely eliminate the Social Services Block Grant Program, which is a decrease of $1.7 billion compared to both the enacted FY2016 and enacted FY2017 levels and would result in a decrease compared to the most recently reported funding levels of $9 million for Housing Services to assist individuals in locating, obtaining, or retaining housing, $6 million for Legal Services in housing and other civil matters that would likely result in fewer people becoming homeless, $5 million in Education and Training Services and $6 million in Employment Services to assist individuals in obtaining employment that would likely result in fewer people becoming or remaining homeless, $189 million for Protective Services – Adults to provide for emergency shelter or alternative living arrangements and services for vulnerable adults who are unable to protect themselves, including unable to obtain shelter, and $199 million for Special Services for Persons with Disabilities that would likely result in fewer people becoming or remaining homeless, and hundreds of millions of dollars in youth services discussed below.
  • Although the Administration appears to propose level funding for the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Transitional Living Program Activities of $102 million and level funding of the Education Grants to Reduce Sexual Abuse of Runaway Youth compared to both the enacted FY2016 and enacted FY2017 level, the Administration proposes to eliminate funding for the Social Services Block Grant, which  would result in a decrease compared to the most recently reported funding levels of $8 million for Independent/Transitional Living and fewer homeless youth or foster care youth becoming self-sufficient and avoid homelessness and a decrease of approximately $118 million in Foster Care Services for Children in emergency shelters, supervised independent living situations, and other institutions, $29 million for Adoption Services to bring about the adoption of children that would likely result in fewer homeless youth, $61 million for Prevention and Intervention Services to prevent child abuse, child neglect, and family violence and the removal of a child or adult from the home, $138 million for Protective Services – Children for services to prevent or remedy child abuse, child neglect, or child exploitation, including the provision of emergency shelter or alternative living arrangements, and $6 million for Pregnancy and Parenting Services for Young Parents to secure necessary living arrangements and health care and provide other essential services.
  • The Administration proposes to reduce funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program by 10% or $1.268 billion and to entirely eliminate the TANF Contingency Fund of $608 million compared to the enacted FY2016 level in funding that helps families avoid or escape homelessness, including a decrease compared to the most recently reported funding levels of $4.48 billion in Basic Assistance that helps families cover housing and other living expenses, $1.52 billion for Work Related Activities/Expenses that helps increase employment for parents to cover housing and other living expenses, and $2.477 billion for Child Care and $373 million for Transportation and Supportive Services to help families obtain education and job training and work, $279 million for Non-recurrent Short-term Benefits to cover costs such as security deposits, and $692,000 for Individual Development Accounts to help families cover housing and other living expenses.
  • Although the Administration appears to propose approximate level funding for Family Violence and Prevention Services Programs of $151 million and the Domestic Violence Hotline of $8.25 million compared to both the enacted FY2016 and enacted FY2017 level, the Administration proposes to maintain the elimination of funding for the Assets for Independence Program compared to the enacted FY2016 level of $18.95 million, which would make it more difficult for low-income families with children to save money and become self-sufficient and to avoid and escape homelessness or domestic violence.

In the Department of Justice budget, funding to assist homeless people and those at risk of homelessness is proposed to be funded at the same level as FY2016 and to almost the same level as FY2017.

  • The Administration proposes to provide level funding for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs Compared to the FY2016 level of $480 million and the FY2017 level of $481.5 million, including $30 million for Transitional Housing to provide shelters for individuals and families escaping domestic or family violence.

Overall, the President’s FY2018 Budget Request proposes to cut funding for programs that provide shelter and other services to homeless individuals and families and to those at risk of homelessness by more than $6 billion.  With half a million adults and children who are homeless on a given night and more than 175,000 of them without even a basic shelter, Congress should increase, instead of decrease, funding for programs that provide critical and life-saving shelter, food, and other assistance to people who are currently homeless and who are at heightened risk of homelessness.