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 these changes and how they 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 extended federal funding until early December. This extension will allow the government to operate normally as Congress continues work on their budget for next year.
- A federal rule change could impose major new restrictions on grant funding to agencies like THA. This rule has not yet taken effect.
- Federal funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program is ending this year. We are working internally and with our partners to support these households after the program’s end, and have funding to continue serving our EHV families into 2027.
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.
Federal Budget
In early September, Congress approved a short-term spending bill that will keep the federal government funded at current levels through December 11, 2026. This extension gives Congress more time to decide on funding levels for the rest of the 2027 fiscal year.
Last year, Congress approved final budget that resulted in about a 1 percent drop in funding for THA. We will continue to monitor the situation as Congress prepares their budget for the 2027 fiscal year, and we will share updates as we have them.
Emergency Housing Vouchers
Last year, HUD announced that federal funding for the Emergency Housing (EHV) program would end this year, instead of its originally planned expiration date of September 2030. The EHV program provided critical housing support to some of our most vulnerable community members, including families at risk of homelessness and survivors of domestic violence.
At THA, we have carefully evaluated the impact of this loss of funding for our 115 households subsidized with EHV funds. THA has extended housing offers to all EHV households, resulting in 55 families transitioning to other housing programs. Our current projections show that we have enough funding to support the remaining 40+ households through EHV subsidies through March 2027.
Congress has also given HUD the authority to issue Tenant Protection Vouchers (TPV) to maintain housing for some EHV households. We are working with HUD to understand how these changes will affect our families, and will be in touch with our affected households as soon as we have an update.
We do not plan to end housing assistance for Emergency Housing Voucher participants in 2026. 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 gro.gnisuohamocat@esc-tcatnoc.
Federal Grant Policies
On May 29, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and most federal agencies announced a proposed rule that would dramatically affect how housing authorities like THA receive, spend, and account for federal grants.
This rule change has the potential to make it significantly more difficult for organizations to deliver housing, supportive services, and other community programs. As proposed, the rule would include:
- Political review of awards: Senior political appointees at HUD will approve all discretionary awards for alignment with the President’s priorities.
- Broad termination authority: HUD could terminate grants that have already been awarded, at the agency’s discretion, for being “inconsistent with agency priorities” or “no longer in the national interest.”
- DEI and equity prohibitions: Federal funds would be barred for services, hiring, or procurement framed around equity or using disparate impact standards.
- Payment friction: Housing authorities and subrecipients would need to submit written justifications with every payment request.
- Membership and subscription limits: Housing authoritiess would need HUD’s permission to join trade associations and could not use federal funds for professional publications.
This proposed rule change has not yet taken effect. Congress placed a temporary delay on implementation of the change in a short-term spending bill that passed in early September.
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. The public comment period for this proposal closed on April 21, and HUD is required by law to review public comments before moving forward with this change.
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 Commissioners 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.