Bay Area leaders brace for devastating cuts to homeless grants People are going to die - Local News Matters

Bay Area homelessness response networks are grappling with sweeping changes from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which have cut guaranteed funding from 90% to 30%. This shift mandates that Continuum of Care (CoC) agencies focus on self-sufficiency projects rather than permanent housing solutions. Michael Gause from Sonoma County warned that the cuts could lead to tragic outcomes for vulnerable populations, stating, "people are going to die.

" Local agencies typically allocate a significant portion of their HUD funds to permanent housing, and now they must adapt to a drastically reduced budget. Claire Cunningham, director of San Mateo County's Human Services Agency, noted that nearly $18 million in federal funds supporting unhoused families is at stake. The new scoring criteria from HUD favor projects that lack diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, complicating compliance for local agencies. These changes represent a significant departure from previous housing-first approaches to homelessness. Local leaders remain committed to finding ways to protect the stability and well-being of those affected by these reforms.