The Trump administration’s recent changes to the Continuum of Care (CoC) program funding have drawn opposition from local leaders and homeless advocacy groups. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) limits the use of funds for sustaining permanent housing to 30%, a significant reduction from previous grants that allocated over 80% to permanent housing. This shift could put an estimated 170,000 people at risk of homelessness, as per the Seattle City Council blog.
Seattle and King County are set to receive $65 million in funding supporting nearly 4,500 residents, but the new rules could disrupt local housing and support programs. Local officials, including Seattle Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Jorge Barón, and Teresa Mosqueda, as well as State Rep. Nicole Macri, have expressed concern over the potential impact and the difficulty of replacing federal funds with state resources.
Alison Eisinger, Executive Director of the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, urged local authorities to maintain housing and support services amid the federal changes.
