Over the last few months, there have been several news reports and announcements from the federal government about potential changes to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the federal housing programs it administers.
If you have questions about how these changes could affect you and the people in your community, we hope the information below can help. We will continue to update this page to keep our community informed about any potential changes to federal housing programs.
What You Need to Know:
- Congress has completed its budget for 2026, and THA’s federal funding remains stable. The budget increased voucher funding, and gives us clarity on funding levels for the rest of the fiscal year.
- Federal funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program will be ending this year. THA serves 115 households with this program, and we are working internally and with our partners to support these households after the program’s end.
- Right now, no THA residents or program participants are at risk of losing their housing.
- Although HUD has been ordered to downsize, THA staff are not HUD employees, so this reduction through government action does not apply to us.
Tacoma Housing Authority has not been directly affected by the President’s executive orders or other federal policy changes at this time, but we are continuing to monitor funding impacts to our housing and support programs that many families depend on.
We are committed to providing community members with critical housing resources and information about your rights.
Mixed-Status Households
Under federal law, people without U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status cannot receive housing assistance through programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers or Public Housing. For decades, HUD’s “mixed‑status rule” has allowed families with both eligible and ineligible members to live together in assisted housing by prorating assistance based only on eligible members.
On February 19, 2026, HUD proposed changes to this rule (PDF) that would eliminate all housing assistance for mixed-status households. This means that families in mixed-status households would be forced to separate or lose their housing.
This proposed rule change has not yet taken effect. HUD is required by law to review public comments before moving forward with this change. If you would like to provide a comment, King County Housing Authority has prepared this helpful fact sheet and guide (PDF) on how to do so. All public comments must be submitted by April 21, 2026.
Federal Budget
Congress has approved the budget for most federal agencies, including HUD, through the end of the federal fiscal year, which runs through September 30, 2026.
Last year, the White House proposed an overhaul and transformation of HUD’s federal assistance programs, along with funding cuts. However, Congress did not adopt this proposal. The final budget included less funding in some areas compared to last year, but it increased funding for Housing Choice Vouchers and in some other areas, and it provides new flexibility for housing authorities to help people at risk of homelessness.
You can find a full comparison of the 2026 budget against 2025 funding and what was requested here:
The budget gives THA clarity about the state of federal funding that supports our work, our partners and our clients. We will continue to monitor the situation as Congress prepares to consider a budget for the 2027 fiscal year, and we will share updates as we have them.
Emergency Housing Vouchers
Last year, HUD announced plans to end the Emergency Housing (EHV) program earlier than its originally planned expiration date of September 2030, and federal funding will end in 2026 instead.
At THA, we have carefully evaluated the impact this loss of funding will create for the 115 households currently subsidized with EHV funds. The EHV program provides critical housing support to some of our most vulnerable community members, including families at risk of homelessness and survivors of domestic violence.
Congress has given public housing authorities some flexibility to absorb some of these families into other HUD programs, if public housing authorities can afford to do so and if households meet eligibility requirements. We are also making changes to our policies to continue to serve these families in other ways.
At this time, we do not plan to end housing assistance for Emergency Housing Voucher participants. If you or your tenants receive assistance through the EHV program and we are not able to receive additional funds, we will provide you with at least 60 days’ notice of the subsidy ending.
Please contact your Housing Specialist or log in to our online service portal and make sure your contact information is up to date, so staff can discuss your options and next steps. If you would like to talk to a Community Advocate about resources and economic opportunities, please email .
Executive Orders
The President has issued several Executive Orders, one of which temporarily halted federal funding to some recipients of federal grants. THA is in compliance with all Executive Orders, and none of our residents or program participants are at risk of losing their housing or financial help because of these orders.
Changes to HUD
There have been announcements and news reports about the Department of Housing and Urban Development laying off staff and closing offices.
THA is not a federal agency. We are governed by an independent Board of Directors appointed by the City of Tacoma. Any decisions about THA budgets, staffing, and offices will be made by THA, not the federal government or HUD.