Providence, R.I. – A broad coalition of local governments and nonprofit organizations have challenged the Trump-Vance administration’s latest attempt to disrupt federal funding for people trying to exit homelessness. Although the court had previously halted unlawful restrictions on federal homelessness funding, the administration is once again making changes that will kick people out of permanent housing and back onto the streets.
Read the full press release here.
Quotes from Plaintiffs and Co-Counsel are below.
“The work to end homelessness is not and never should be partisan,” said Ann Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “Communities deserve a federal homelessness response that is lawfully responsive to their needs and free from political interference. We are proud to stand with the co-plaintiffs in this case on behalf of people experiencing homelessness nationwide and the systems that serve them, who would be deeply harmed by the administration’s actions.”
“Housing is not a political reward—it is the foundation from which people rebuild their lives,” said Renee M. Willis, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “The administration cannot ignore the law or decades of evidence in pursuit of an ideological agenda that puts more people at risk of homelessness. Every decision about federal homelessness funding has real human consequences. We are standing with the co-plaintiffs in this case because people experiencing homelessness deserve policies grounded in evidence, fairness, and the law—not politics. We will continue fighting until every community has the tools it needs to keep people safely housed.”
“At a time when homelessness remains at record levels across the country, HUD’s latest funding announcement threatens to push people who have achieved stable housing back into homelessness,” said Michelle Wilcox, president and CEO, Crossroads Rhode Island. “By shifting resources away from proven permanent housing solutions, HUD is turning its back on decades of evidence showing what works. The research is clear: housing is the most effective solution to homelessness, and we should be strengthening these programs, not dismantling them. Crossroads is proud to stand alongside our partners in defending evidence-based approaches that keep people housed and communities stronger. We will continue fighting to protect the safety, stability, and well-being of the people we serve and to ensure that proven solutions remain at the center of our nation’s response to homelessness.”
“For an administration that claims to be pro-life and anti-drug, we haven’t seen real proof of anything other than a desire to suppress or remove effective programs that are actually life-saving and helping people leave drug and alcohol abuse behind,” said Rush Frazier, Executive Director of Youth Pride, Inc. “Forty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+. We work with every young adult that comes through our doors, regardless of how they self-identify, to remove the barriers they face using evidence-based methods. Housing-First frameworks are a critical part of this effort. Housing is a human right, not some luxury.”
“The Trump Administration’s callous decision to take a second bite at dismantling one of our nation’s most important homelessness prevention programs after a federal court already blocked the Administration’s first attempt shows a complete disregard for the people who depend on this funding to keep a roof over their heads,” said Santa Clara County Counsel Tony LoPresti. “In Santa Clara County alone, Continuum of Care funding helps more than 2,500 residents remain stably housed each year. By diverting funding away from proven permanent housing programs, HUD is once again putting vulnerable families, seniors, and individuals at risk. Because the Administration insists on repeating these unlawful actions, we are prepared to return to court.”
“Once again, President Trump is trying to eliminate funding for housing and homelessness prevention programs around the country,” said Mike Firestone, Corporation Counsel for the City of Boston. “Twice before, Boston and our partners have sued and won, protecting nearly $100 million for Boston. With tens of millions of dollars and housing for thousands of our residents again at stake, Boston is suing again to stop these illegal attacks on our residents by a corrupt and dangerous federal government.”
“Standing up and preserving HUD’s Continuum of Care funding is vital for Cambridge and our most vulnerable community members,” said Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang. “Disrupting these critical resources would mean more families without a place to sleep, more individuals left without stability or care, and a deeper strain on our community that is already working tirelessly to protect its most vulnerable. We cannot allow that to happen. This funding is essential, and defending it is a moral imperative.”
“Nashville has a proven strategy to provide housing first combined with wrap around services to the most vulnerable people in our community. The Trump administration policy is cruel, chaotic, and contrary to law,” said Wally Dietz, Director of Law for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
“It is as unfortunate as it is necessary that our organizations must return to court to ensure that the Trump administration follows the law,” said Lynette Labinger, cooperating attorney for the ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island. “HUD continues to slow walk its obligations for this year and to create barriers contrary to the law for next year’s funding. In the meantime, our organizations’ ability to deliver critical services to the housing insecure communities is undermined and our most vulnerable population continues to suffer. This is why we return to court.”
Trump’s proposed changes to federal funding will force at least 97,000 people- mostly seniors and people with disabilities- back into homelessness. It will do nothing to address the fact that a growing number of Americans struggle to pay rent and make ends meet,” says Antonia Fasanelli, Executive Director of the National Homelessness Law Center. “The Trump administration should focus on ensuring that everybody has the housing and support they need and want. We are honored to represent our partners, the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the National Low Income Housing Coalition, to preserve housing for tens of thousands of vulnerable people.”
“Local governments have spent years building partnerships that help people stay housed. These unlawful changes threaten that work and put vulnerable people at greater risk of homelessness. HUD must follow the law instead of trying to rewrite a program Congress created and to replace evidence-based solutions with political ideology,” said Toby Merrill, Director of Litigation, Public Rights Project.
“Once again, we are forced to return to court to protect federal homelessness funding,” said Amy Romero, Chief Legal Counsel of Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island. “We are proud to represent this broad coalition in seeking relief so that communities here in Rhode Island and across the country can continue providing lifesaving housing services to those most in need.”
“Instead of supporting proven ways to address homelessness, the Trump-Vance administration is doubling-down on fatal flaws the court has already said are unlawful,” said Kristin Bateman, Democracy Forward Senior Counsel. “Thanks to the bravery of our coalition of clients in this case, federal courts have repeatedly told the government that they cannot disrupt important homelessness programs in ways like this. Democracy Forward is very proud to support evidence-based approaches to ending homelessness and the organizations doing this crucial lifesaving work in our communities.”
