Urge Congress to Fully Fund Critical Fair Housing Funding in the FY27 Budget

As everyday people of America face an escalating fair and affordable housing crisis, President Trump's FY27 budget proposes a 12.7 percent cut to critical HUD programs, including eliminating the local Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), which funds local nonprofits that ensure access to housing opportunity free of discrimination for seniors, disabled veterans, survivors of sexual harassment, families with children, and people of color, and more; allocating only $26 million for the state/local Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) with no new money to make up for cutting other fair housing programs, despite the fact that at least 12 states and many localities do not have FHAP-funded agencies to assist victims of housing discrimination; and allocating only $62.6 million for HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), at a time when fair housing complaints are escalating and the office.

 

 

Now is not the time to cut critical funding for fair housing programs. In 2024 - 32,321 fair housing complaints were received by private, non-profit fair housing organizations, FHAP agencies, HUD and DOJ. Specifically, in 2024 FHIP funded organizations processed over 74 percent of all complaints, and FHAP agencies processed roughly 21 percent of all complaints. FHIP funded organizations processed over 74 percent of all complaints, while FHAP agencies processed roughly 21 percent of all complaints.

 

As the nation is in the throes of a fair and affordable housing crisis, persistent housing discrimination, and increased homelessness, Congress must act to provide the highest possible amount for HUD appropriations and fully fund our nation's fair housing programs for FY27.

 

Why does this matter? The President's budget proposal falls short of what is needed to effectively support local communities in their efforts to ensure equitable housing opportunities and help victims of housing discrimination to be made whole. As a result, disabled veterans and seniors requiring accessible housing opportunities, families with children looking to rent an apartment free of discrimination, women seeking to live without sexual abuse from landlords, and people seeking to buy a home free of racial harassment will all be adversely impacted.

 

Join us in calling on Congress to fully fund fair housing programs: