WITH CUTS THREATENING TO PUT VETERANS AND FAMILIES ON THE STREET, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN AND SENATOR SCHUMER DEMAND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESTORE CRITICAL HOUSING FUNDING IMMEDIATELY

With Cuts Threatening to Put Veterans and Families on the Street, Congressman Pat Ryan and Senator Schumer Demand Trump Administration Restore Critical Housing Funding Immediately

Last week it was reported that dozens of families, including veterans and kids, would lose housing at end of the month due to cuts at HUD

HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development, which disburses the funding,  has already been slated to lose 84% of its staff

Congressman Ryan and Senator Schumer, alongside local housing partners, elected officials, and impacted families, raised the alarm on the loss of housing funds and called on every American to stand up and make it clear they will not let Donald Trump put their neighbors out on the street

WASHINGTON, DC  –  Following reports that dozens of families, including kids and veterans would be forced onto the street due to cuts at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Congressman Ryan and Senator Schumer are demanding immediate action to keep families in their homes. In a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Ryan and Schumer called on the Secretary to "fulfill Congress’s intent on the funding appropriated and begin the contract renewal process for homeless service providers with expiring contracts, release the funding that has been awarded in a timely manner, and ensure adequate staffing to administer this crucial program.” 

“We’re demanding the Trump Administration right this wrong and guarantee this funding will be restored immediately. This is a fundamental question of who we are as a country. Because I know the country I risked my life to defend wouldn’t kick kids and veterans out of their homes,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “We need everyone in the community to raise their voices and join the fight. Our Hudson Valley community cannot and will not let this stand.” 

“We can’t let these federal housing funds be ripped away and put Hudson Valley veterans, kids, and families on the street. Cutting off this lifeline without warning isn’t just unacceptable, it’s just plain cruel. The Trump Administration needs to restore this funding and reverse these cuts before seniors and vets start getting kicked out of their homes,” said Senator Schumer. “We should be prioritizing reducing housing costs, not taking support away from those who need it most. You can’t shoot first and ask questions later when it comes to cutting funding for people's housing. We need these cuts reversed now, and we won’t stop until Hudson Valley families and vets have the assurances they need, the funding will remain to help them keep a roof over their head.”

“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.”

“Today’s housing crisis in the Hudson Valley, New York State and across the nation is at an all-time high! The recent cuts to the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) including funding cuts, staff reduction and policy changes are a direct threat to the stability and well-being of our residents and communities,” said RUPCO CEO Kevin O’Connor. “These cuts jeopardize the safety and security of countless families, including veterans who have served our nation, who rely on HUD assistance to remain stably housed. We stand with Congressman Pat Ryan in condemning these cuts and urge immediate action to restore this essential funding.”

Dozens of tenants in Dutchess County have received notice from Hudson River Housing that due to the Trump administration’s staff cuts and funding freeze at HUD, in violation of Congressional intent on the appropriated funding, 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. Congressman Ryan and Senator Schumer’s letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner demands the Secretary "fulfill Congress’s intent on the funding appropriated and begin the contract renewal process for homeless service providers with expiring contracts, release the funding that has been awarded in a timely manner, and ensure adequate staffing to administer this crucial program.” 

The Hudson Valley is among the many communities across the country facing the harsh consequences 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. 

The full text of Congressman Ryan and Senator Schumer’s letter can be found below: 

Dear Secretary Turner,

We write to demand you immediately reverse your decision to withhold funding and cut staff for programs, including the Continuum of Care program, that keep veterans, kids, and the disabled, among other vulnerable populations, in their homes.

This funding has been appropriated and awarded to homeless service providers throughout the country, yet HUD has refused to begin renewing the contracts that allow these organizations to access the funding they rely on. HUD has also reportedly proposed massive cuts to the staff who administer the program. 

Thanks to these unwise decisions, dozens of our constituents are already slated to lose their rental assistance and face possible eviction at the end of this month. This cannot happen. You need to do your job and immediately begin renewing contracts with providers, release the funding that was awarded, and ensure adequate staff to administer programs. Anything else is a cut to the program – that Congress has funded – and a dereliction of your duty to women, children, and veterans, who are receiving critical support from this program.

Congress appropriated $3.6 billion in Fiscal Year 2024 for the Continuum of Care program, which helps vulnerable Americans access permanent and temporary housing, as well as counseling and support services. This funding was awarded to nearly 7,000 homeless service providers across the country on January 17, 2025. However, many grantees report that HUD has not renewed expiring contracts to allow them to actually access this money. Moreover, the Department’s plans to cut upwards of 50% of staff across HUD, a number that skyrockets to 84% for some of HUD’s programs, including potential cuts of the staff at the Office of Community Planning and Development, make it extremely uncertain that any funding will be administered in a timely manner. Without clarity from HUD, homeless service providers with expiring contracts face the difficult decision to terminate rental assistance, raise rents on tenants, and lay off staff who provide critical support services, all of which could kick vulnerable people out of their homes and into the streets.

Your actions are already having devastating impacts for our constituents in New York. In the Hudson Valley, dozens of veterans, families, and disabled tenants have received notice that they may lose their rental assistance at the end of this month due to HUD’s refusal to renew contracts for funds that have already been awarded. In addition, a service provider in Poughkeepsie will have to lay off support staff and will no longer be able to reserve housing units for chronically homeless female veterans. Facing the loss of this assistance, many of our constituents will be forced into homelessness. This is just one example of the impact your decisions are having in New York and around the nation.

HUD’s reckless decisions threaten to throw vulnerable families onto the street. Immediate action to rectify this situation is necessary. To that end, we demand that you fulfill Congress’s intent on the funding appropriated and begin the contract renewal process for service providers with expiring contracts, release the funding that has been awarded in a timely manner, and ensure adequate staffing to administer this crucial program. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, 

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