CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN RAISES THE ALARM AND CONDEMNS TRUMP CUTS TO DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL FORCE DOZENS OF FAMILIES, INCLUDING VETERANS, ONTO THE STREET
Congressman Pat Ryan Raises the Alarm and Condemns Trump Cuts to Department of Housing and Urban Development That Will Force Dozens of Families, Including Veterans, Onto the Street
Yesterday it was reported that dozens of families, including veterans, received letters stating they would lose Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rental assistance at end of March; without intervention, many will be homeless on April 1st
HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development, which disburses the funding, has already been slated to lose 84% of its staff
Hudson Valley joins Massachusetts, Texas, and North Carolina in facing devastating impacts of HUD cuts
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Today, following reporting that dozens of families, including veterans, received letters from Hudson River Housing stating that they would lose HUD rental assistance at end of March, Congressman Pat Ryan is raising the alarm that, without intervention, many of these families will be forced onto the street. Alongside local housing partners, elected officials, and impacted families, Ryan called on every American to stand up and make it clear they will not let Donald Trump make their neighbors lose their homes. HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development, which disburses the funding, has already been slated to lose 84% of its staff.
“Enough is enough. I don’t care who you voted for, or where in the Hudson Valley you’re from – this is simply un-American. Everyone in our community needs to stand up immediately and make it clear: we will not let Donald Trump put dozens of families, including kids and veterans, on the street,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “We’re urgently assessing every possible legislative option, but it will take all of us, together, to get this decision reversed. This fight is only just beginning.”
“When I got the letter, my first thought was that my life is over. This is my first home in 12 years – and I will lose it if we can’t get this money. My two-year old son, who has autism, and I will be on the street,” said Liz Albus of Poughkeepsie. “I’m disabled myself, but my biggest fear is what will happen to my son. He just won’t be able to manage moving. My only hope is that enough people hear my story and get this decision changed.”
“Hudson River Housing is deeply concerned about these disruptions to HUD staffing and funding. Without guarantees from HUD, I’m extremely disappointed to say we will not be able to serve our vulnerable residents past the end of this month,” said Christa Hines, President and CEO of Hudson River Housing. “Our immediate focus is on supporting our residents and local landlord partners as we work to mitigate the financial gaps left by HUD’s disruptions, and we’ll continue to urgently seek clarity to ensure that our residents, community partners, and organization can navigate this moment without devastating consequences. A huge thank you to Congressman Ryan and his team, who have been working around the clock to get us the support we need.”
“Affordable housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing our residents, and cutting critical funding that helps provide our most vulnerable neighbors with a safe and stable roof over their head can have devastating impacts within our communities,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. “These cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet — they represent real people who will be left without a safety net. At a time when the cost of living continues to rise, we should be working together to expand housing opportunities, not taking them away. I stand with our community in urging HUD to reconsider this decision.”
“Families continue to struggle to find affordable housing, especially in the last few years. Hudson River Housing, along with other housing partners have worked tirelessly in providing resources to help families stay in stable homes and not become homeless on our streets,” said City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers. “HUD funding helps restore hope and provide housing stability for many families. The possible loss of these funds will be devastating to not only families in the City of Poughkeepsie or Dutchess County, but throughout the country. I ask our Federal government to be mindful of the children and veterans who will be affected and the families that will suffer if funding for rent subsidies is no longer available. Homelessness, which is already an overwhelming challenge, will increase drastically.”
Dozens of tenants in Dutchess County have received notice from Hudson River Housing that due to the Trump Administration’s staff cuts and funding uncertainty at HUD, they are set to lose their rental assistance on April 1. This includes veterans, at-risk homeless youth, and families who currently live in supportive housing or receive rental assistance payments. Without immediate clarity and action from HUD, households will face rent increases, loss of support services, and potential eviction.
Hudson River Housing runs emergency and transitional housing programs to keep individuals out of homelessness. These programs rely on funding from HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD), which provides yearly grants to homeless services providers. This year, however, HUD has refused to confirm whether it will renew Hudson River Housing’s contract, which expires at the end of the month. Moreover, the Trump Administration has proposed cutting the office’s staff by 84%, risking lengthy delays to any contract renewal.
This lack of funding, as well as the lack of adequate staffing at HUD to administer it, will force Hudson River Housing to raise rents for tenants, eliminate rental assistance payments, and lay off staff who provide critical support services. In addition, Hudson River Housing will no longer be able to reserve four of its single-room occupancy units for chronically homeless female veterans.
The Hudson Valley is among dozens of communities across the country facing the devastating impacts of the Administration's actions. In Austin, Texas, the city is slated to lose more than $15 million in federal housing funds, impacting numerous homelessness and housing services citywide. They also fear the fate of projects currently under construction, including 5,000 new units of permanent supportive housing. In Massachusetts’ Berkshire region, local shelter workers are sounding the alarm on how the HUD cuts have thrown the future of several critical housing programs into uncertainty. A housing leader in North Carolina, which was recently rocked by devastating weather events, called the cuts “catastrophic,” saying that housing non-profits are in an absolute scramble to figure out how, and if, they can support themselves without this federal funding.
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