For more than three decades, the federal government has supported housing providers and communities through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s homelessness programs, such as the “Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds” program, to help people experiencing homelessness move into stable housing. 

Recognizing the pressing need to build more housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, Congress has appropriated $75 million for HUD to award to nonprofit organizations, states, and localities to build permanent supportive housing. As it was required to do, HUD identified qualified projects and was prepared to grant these essential funds, even going so far as to notify members of Congress of the selections. But, days before the funds were set to expire, the agency abruptly reversed course and sought new applicants based on newly announced criteria.

The Trump-Vance administration’s new grant criteria for federal funds delivered through CoC Builds sought to deny funding to entire communities based on targeted considerations, including whether the jurisdictions in which they operate support sanctuary protections, harm reduction practices, or inclusive policies for transgender people. In doing so, HUD has introduced extreme political criteria to the application. 

On September 11, 2025, the National Alliance to End Homelessness and Women’s Development Corporation filed a lawsuit, as well as a motion for a temporary restraining order, against HUD and HUD Secretary Scott Turner to challenge these unlawful, politically motivated conditions. 

The lawsuit asks the court to block HUD’s funding restrictions and restore fair access to federal housing funds for providers nationwide.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a temporary restraining order, halting the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful restrictions on federal housing funding.

Timeline:

• September 11, 2025 — We filed a lawsuit and a motion for a temporary restraining order challenging the Trump-Vance administration’s unlawful federal housing grant restrictions.
• September 12, 2025 — The court granted our motion for a temporary restraining order.

The organizations are represented by Democracy Forward, National Homelessness Law Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, and ACLU Foundation of Rhode Island.

The case is National Alliance to End Homelessness v. Turner, et al.