1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am deeply concerned about the proposed changes to homelessness policy by the current administration. The shift away from the proven 'Housing First' approach and the potential loss of housing for 170,000 individuals is alarming and counterproductive to our efforts to combat homelessness. While the overall homelessness funding is set to increase from $3.6 billion to $3.9 billion, the reallocation of these funds threatens to dismantle years of progress. The focus on transitional housing that requires work and addiction treatment, while well-intentioned, fails to address the complex realities faced by our homeless population, particularly seniors and disabled individuals who may be unable to meet these new requirements. The National Alliance to End Homelessness has warned that these policy changes could actually increase homelessness. This is not just a numbers game; we're talking about real people with real lives at stake. The decision to no longer automatically renew existing programs could force out individuals who have relied on subsidized housing for years, potentially pushing them back onto the streets. The timing of these changes is particularly troubling. With funding notices coming out late, we risk creating dangerous gaps in program funding that could leave vulnerable people without support during critical transition periods. I urge you to fight to preserve the current funding structure and the 'Housing First' approach. This model, which prioritizes getting people into stable housing before addressing other issues, has been shown to be effective in reducing chronic homelessness. While addiction and unemployment are certainly factors to address, stable housing is the foundation upon which all other progress is built. We need to focus on expanding access to permanent supportive housing, not restricting it. Please advocate for maintaining and increasing funding for proven, compassionate approaches to ending homelessness. Our community's most vulnerable members are counting on your support to ensure they don't lose the stability they've worked so hard to achieve.