Affordable housing advocates in New York are warning of a potentially devastating impact if the Trump administration moves ahead with threatened cuts to federal housing programs. 

The New York Times reports President Donald Trump's White House is eying changes to housing programs, including to the Section 8 program, which helps poorer tenants pay their rent. 

Rachel Fee, the executive director of the New York Housing Conference, warns changes could cause chaos in the housing market, impacting renters and landlords alike.

“I think we would really see an increase in homelessness, housing instability and a lot of pressure on the state and city to pick up the pieces,” she said.

What You Need To Know

  • The New York Times reports President Donald Trump's White House is eying changes to federal housing programs, including to Section 8, which helps poorer tenants pay their rent 

  • Across New York state, more than 1 million people rely on federal rental assistance to help them pay for housing. Roughly two-thirds of those individuals are seniors, children or people with disabilities 

  • Advocates warn cuts could cause chaos in the housing market and spark an "increase in homelessness"

  • Congress would likely need to sign off if the White House moves ahead with slashing HUD programs — and housing advocates hope lawmakers will intervene

Across New York state, more than 1 million people rely on federal rental assistance to help them pay for housing, according to data compiled by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Roughly two-thirds of those individuals are seniors, children or people with disabilities. 

New Destiny Housing, a New York organization that helps survivors of domestic violence find and afford a place to live, is keeping a close eye on the White House’s moves. A nonprofit, the organization depends on grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — or HUD — to help pay for their staff. 

“If we don't have our staff to help them find housing, what happens? They stay with their abuser, they stay in shelter. We have no way of assisting them,” Nicole Branca, the CEO of New Destiny Housing, said.

One of those staff members is Stephanie Woodbine, a domestic violence survivor who has benefited from New Destiny Housing’s initiatives herself and relies on a separate HUD program to help afford her apartment. 

“It's a very precarious place to be,” Woodbine said. “The uncertainty is a little anxiety-inducing.” 

Congress would likely need to sign off if the White House moves ahead with slashing HUD programs. Advocates note Congress has previously blocked Trump’s HUD-related proposals, pointing to his first term. They hope lawmakers on Capitol Hill step up again. 

“Congress absolutely needs to do their job. We have to protect our people,” Woodbine said. 

“My only choice is to be hopeful,” Branca said. “But I would be lying if I said I wasn't losing sleep.”

Spectrum News reached out to HUD to ask which proposals are being considered. They did not respond by deadline. A spokesperson for the White House budget office told the Times that no final funding decisions have been made. 

A separate HUD program faces funding shortfall

Woodbine is a recipient of the Emergency Housing Voucher.

That program was launched under then-President Joe Biden as part of the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan, with the aim of helping those escaping homelessness or domestic violence to obtain rental housing. Tens of thousands of vouchers were made available nationwide.

However, unrelated to any Trump administration-proposed cuts at HUD, the Emergency Housing Voucher program is running out of money, with the department warning funding could dry up next year — far earlier than the decade it was expected to last.

In order to preserve the vouchers, Congress will need to add money to the program. Woodbine, Branca and others are urging lawmakers to act.

“My plea to Congress is to understand the dastardly impact this is going to have on so many families across the U.S.,” Woodbine said.