Post by The Homeless Guy on Oct 9, 2013 15:37:01 GMT -8
This comes from the National Alliance to End Homelessness:
The federal government shutdown, which began on October 1 as a result of Congress's inability to agree to a stopgap funding measure (also known as a continuing resolution or CR), has already significantly decreased the capacity of many federally-funded programs due to the furlough of most federal employees.
For now, the immediate impact of the shutdown on homeless assistance programs has been and is expected to continue to be relatively minimal. This is largely because HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program is still spending funds from fiscal year (FY) 2013. In fact, Continuums of Care within the Homeless Assistance Grants are still spending FY 2012 funds; therefore, funding lapses in FY 2014 spending (the shutdown) will not impact these programs in the short-term. Homeless assistance programs are also considered to be "essential" programs to protect against imminent threats to the safety of human life. As a result, these programs are exempted from the shutdown and key staff will remain on the federal payroll. For more information on the immediate impact of the shutdown on homeless assistance programs, please click Here.
Although the immediate impact of the shutdown on homeless assistance programs is minimal, any future budget deal around FY 2014 funding will have a significant impact on these programs. When the federal government reaches its legal debt limit on October 17, it is possible that a large budget deal including FY 2014 funding will be made as part of an agreement around raising the nation's debt ceiling.
No matter how and when a final budget deal is struck, it is important that Members of Congress know that increased funding for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants must be included in any funding package. Therefore, it is critical that throughout this shutdown and until a final FY 2014 budget is released, we ensure that the issue of homelessness remains on our Members' radars amid larger budgetary considerations and partisan politics. Take this opportunity to reach out to your Members' offices and remind them that they cannot balance the budget on the backs of our nation's most vulnerable people.
More Information
Congress ultimately could not come to an agreement on a CR prior to the beginning of FY 2014 on October 1 due to disagreements around implementation and funding for the Affordable Care Act. These differences still remain, with House Republicans insisting on modifications and Senate Democrats refusing any such changes.
The shutdown is expected to have minor immediate impacts on other low-income housing programs within HUD. Funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers is expected to remain secure; however, a final budget for FY 2014 must include an increase for this program, and must be passed prior to mid-November to ensure that the program is able to continue operating. Funding for Public Housing should remain secure at least through December.
Targeted homeless assistance programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs will remain in operation as VA programs operate on advanced funding. Individual entitlement programs such as Social Security, SSDI, Medicaid, and SNAP are mandatory spending programs and are unaffected for the time being.
HUD's contingency plan for the shutdown can be found at this PDF link.. The Alliance's blog on the shutdown and its impact can be found at www.endhomelessness.org/blog/entry/heres-the-lowdown-on-the-shutdown#.UlXniBXn_IV.
The federal government shutdown, which began on October 1 as a result of Congress's inability to agree to a stopgap funding measure (also known as a continuing resolution or CR), has already significantly decreased the capacity of many federally-funded programs due to the furlough of most federal employees.
For now, the immediate impact of the shutdown on homeless assistance programs has been and is expected to continue to be relatively minimal. This is largely because HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program is still spending funds from fiscal year (FY) 2013. In fact, Continuums of Care within the Homeless Assistance Grants are still spending FY 2012 funds; therefore, funding lapses in FY 2014 spending (the shutdown) will not impact these programs in the short-term. Homeless assistance programs are also considered to be "essential" programs to protect against imminent threats to the safety of human life. As a result, these programs are exempted from the shutdown and key staff will remain on the federal payroll. For more information on the immediate impact of the shutdown on homeless assistance programs, please click Here.
Although the immediate impact of the shutdown on homeless assistance programs is minimal, any future budget deal around FY 2014 funding will have a significant impact on these programs. When the federal government reaches its legal debt limit on October 17, it is possible that a large budget deal including FY 2014 funding will be made as part of an agreement around raising the nation's debt ceiling.
No matter how and when a final budget deal is struck, it is important that Members of Congress know that increased funding for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants must be included in any funding package. Therefore, it is critical that throughout this shutdown and until a final FY 2014 budget is released, we ensure that the issue of homelessness remains on our Members' radars amid larger budgetary considerations and partisan politics. Take this opportunity to reach out to your Members' offices and remind them that they cannot balance the budget on the backs of our nation's most vulnerable people.
More Information
Congress ultimately could not come to an agreement on a CR prior to the beginning of FY 2014 on October 1 due to disagreements around implementation and funding for the Affordable Care Act. These differences still remain, with House Republicans insisting on modifications and Senate Democrats refusing any such changes.
The shutdown is expected to have minor immediate impacts on other low-income housing programs within HUD. Funding for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers is expected to remain secure; however, a final budget for FY 2014 must include an increase for this program, and must be passed prior to mid-November to ensure that the program is able to continue operating. Funding for Public Housing should remain secure at least through December.
Targeted homeless assistance programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs will remain in operation as VA programs operate on advanced funding. Individual entitlement programs such as Social Security, SSDI, Medicaid, and SNAP are mandatory spending programs and are unaffected for the time being.
HUD's contingency plan for the shutdown can be found at this PDF link.. The Alliance's blog on the shutdown and its impact can be found at www.endhomelessness.org/blog/entry/heres-the-lowdown-on-the-shutdown#.UlXniBXn_IV.