Washington sues over drastic shift in federal housing aid

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration over significant changes to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program. The administration's proposal aims to shift funding from permanent supportive housing, which currently receives 90% of the budget, to transitional housing assistance, reducing the former's share to 30%. This alteration threatens to push 170,000 individuals into homelessness, as reported by internal agency documents.

Brown stated that these federal funds are vital for those facing severe hardships and condemned the changes as a crisis-inducing policy. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Rhode Island, requests a preliminary injunction to block the policy shift while litigation unfolds. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson echoed these concerns, calling the changes a cruel attack on vulnerable residents. The administration argues that the reforms will promote independence and align with the President's directives. As local officials prepare for potential funding cuts, they acknowledge that state resources cannot fill the gaps left by these federal changes.