HUD freezes new emergency housing vouchers nationwide

HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the agency stopped accepting new families into the Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program nationwide. Turner cited budget constraints, stating that "adding new families to EHV at this point is inconsistent with the goal of protecting currently housed EHV families for as long as possible." The $5 billion EHV program, created by the 2021 American Rescue Plan, is depleting faster than Congress anticipated because pandemic rents were higher than budgeted. HUD told all public housing authorities they cannot enroll new families. In Washington DC, 588 households hold EHVs. Budget analysts warn homelessness could increase by 13 percent if funds run out without congressional action. Unlike a congressional budget cut, the EHV freeze shows how federal agencies can let congressionally appropriated programs die through inaction.