As a foundation committed to ending homelessness and increasing deeply affordable housing - and to leveraging private sector investment for these purposes - we are deeply troubled that the proposed FY2024 DC budget represents a major step backwards in our collective effort to address homelessness and housing instability, after years of laudable progress. By cutting programs that prevent homelessness and by failing to expand housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness, the proposed budget would likely lead to a major increase in evictions, a growing number of residents living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions, an increase in homelessness, and wider racial and economic inequity in DC.
Despite some signs of economic progress, the reality for most DC residents with low incomes, nearly all of whom are Black or Brown, is much starker. Rents are rising sharply, even in rent-controlled units, while high food prices are increasing hunger and food insecurity. The phase out of federal pandemic aid has led to cuts in SNAP benefits and a risk that many will lose Medicaid coverage. It is no wonder that nearly 40,000 DC renter households pay more than half their income for housing or that emergency rental assistance funds (ERAP) ran out less than half-way into the year. People are having to make difficult choices between paying for rent, food, or prescriptions.
This is no time to cut programs vital to ending homelessness and increasing housing stability. Yet, the proposed FY 2024 budget would cut ERAP by more than 80 percent and cut the Project Reconnect homelessness prevention program in half. It would provide no funds to expand permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, stopping progress that has been made every year since 2014.
We urge the DC Council to reverse deep budget cuts in critical housing and homelessness programs, and to use the budget to make continued momentum toward ensuring everyone in DC has housing they can afford.