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 have collected all the information we have so far. 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:
- The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” was signed by the President on July 4, 2025. This bill did not include HUD funding.
- At this time, there have been no federal cuts to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV or Section 8) program. Congress has funded THA’s federally funded housing programs, such as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV or Section 8) program, through at least September 30, 2025.
- Congress is still considering the budget for the upcoming year. The President’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year would include significant cuts to our programs, but these have not yet been enacted by Congress. We don’t anticipate having more information about our budget until late September.
- HUD has announced that federal funding for the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program will end by 2026. THA serves 115 households with this program, and we are working internally and with our partners to develop a plan to support these households.
- Right now, no THA residents or program participants are at risk of losing their housing or financial help because of any Executive Order.
- 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.
Federal Budget
On July 4, 2025, the President signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law. This bill contains a number of tax and spending provisions, but it does not directly set the budget for HUD or public housing agencies like THA.
The budget for THA’s federally funded housing programs was ensured by a funding bill that the President signed March 15. This bill fully funded programs such as the Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV or Section 8) through September 30, 2025.
The 2026 Budget
Over the next few months, Congress will work to pass a new spending bill for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), which begins on October 1, 2025.
The Trump administration released its budget proposal on May 2.
- Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request – Whitehouse.gov
The proposed budget calls for decreases in housing funding that could impact THA, as well as the overhaul and transformation of federal assistance programs by:
- Moving these programs into a state-based formula grant, in which states would design their own programs with limited federal involvement.
- Placing a 2-year cap on rental assistance for able-bodied adults.
- Ensuring the majority of rental assistance is provided to older adults and people with disabilities.
These proposals would all need to be approved by Congress, which will meet throughout the summer to create their official budget. We will monitor the budgeting process closely and provide updates as Congress gets closer to a decision, likely no earlier than late September.
Emergency Housing Vouchers
The Emergency Housing Voucher (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. THA serves 115 households with this program, including 77 households with children.
In March 2025, HUD announced that due to a funding shortfall, it will be ending the program five years early, and federal funding will end this year.
We are working internally and with our partners to develop a plan to support these households in 2026 and beyond. We are actively seeking alternative funding sources to fill this budget gap, and we will communicate with the households and property owners participating in this program when we know more.
Executive Orders
Since January, 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.
Tacoma Housing Authority 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.