First, please see this organizational sign-on letter from the National Low Income Housing Coalition to add your voice to protecting housing and homelessness programs through this shutdown.
Secondly, thanks to the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) for this update and action guidance:
The Senate is moving toward ending the government shutdown. Unfortunately, the deal does not include language requiring HUD to renew existing CoC grants for a 12-month period. Please see the Take Action section below for sample emails to send to Senator Warren, Senator Markey, and your House Representative. Thank you for your advocacy!
Senator Warren and Senator Markey both voted against the Senate deal last night, so included below is a sample thank you email for them. Below that you will see a sample message that can be sent to your House Representative.
Sample thank you to Warren and Markey – please customize to reflect your organization/district
On behalf of [NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION], I am writing to express our gratitude for Senator ______’s vote last night to reject a motion to consider a continuing resolution (H.R. 5371) to reopen the government.
As you know, this continuing resolution did not include a provision to protect CoC Program funding by directing HUD to renew all eligible projects for 12 months. Without this no-cost provision, Massachusetts will face severe delays in funding due to the extreme lateness of this competition. The reported changes that HUD intends to make through this NOFO, without any meaningful time for planning, will have catastrophic impacts, putting more than 3,800 individuals and families at risk of homelessness.
It was imperative that this language be included before HUD has the opportunity to begin the competitive process. Because that did not occur, we can expect to see services significantly reduced or stopped altogether, landlords won’t receive rent, projects in development will be stalled, and homelessness will be exacerbated.
We are so grateful for the Senator’s leadership. Please let us know if we can be a resource in any way.
Sample message to House Democrats – please customize to reflect your organization/district
Subject line: Please oppose the amended continuing resolution (H.R. 5371) which is likely to be passed by the Senate on November 10
Last night, the Senate approved a motion to consider a short-term spending bill that fails to include a provision that would protect CoC Program funding by directing HUD to renew all eligible projects for 12 months.
We are writing to ask that [NAME OF HOUSE DEMOCRAT] reject H.R. 5371, or any other continuing resolution that does not include Section 166 of 2882/H.R. 5450 (included below) in the next continuing resolution. The no-cost provision outlined in section 166 would provide time for Congress to work with HUD on the changes they are seeking to make and provide a stable bridge for communities to plan for such significant shifts in a way that will be least disruptive.
As you know, a CoC NOFO has never been issued this late in the year. This will inevitably disrupt the processing of homelessness funding and will initiate a lengthy, resource-intensive grant competition. We can expect to see services significantly reduced or stopped altogether, landlords won’t receive rent, projects in development will be stalled, and homelessness will be exacerbated.
The reported changes that HUD intends to make through this NOFO, without any meaningful time for planning, will have catastrophic impacts in Massachusetts. Across the Commonwealth, more than 3,800 individuals and families are at risk of losing their homes.
We appreciate your consideration and ongoing partnership. Please let us know if we can be of assistance in any way.
