We are all working overtime these days. Sometimes it feels like it’s always been that way (or at least it has since COVID).
When your plate is full and you are already wearing multiple hats, taking on one more “task” can feel daunting and overwhelming. But today, I need to talk to you about something that requires everyone’s leadership and participation.
Making Advocacy a Priority
This is a challenging moment, to say the least – certainly the most challenging of my career. And the reality is that the only way out is to make advocacy a top priority for all of us. Beginning this week, we hope you can mobilize to make our collective voices heard in Congress as they work on FY 2027 appropriations. We must urge Congress to reject the President’s FY2027 budget request and instead, protect and expand the critical housing programs upon which communities rely to solve homelessness.
Lawmakers hear about many competing priorities. The only way that our fight becomes a priority is when every member of Congress hears a clear and consistent message from their district and state. We aren’t there right now. But we can get there if everyone steps up.
Find out more about the different ways you can get involved by checking out our FY2027 Appropriations Advocacy Activation Toolkit.
Litigation on the FY25 CoC NOFO
We have some additional activity to report as part of the ongoing litigation about the FY2025 CoC Program NOFO.
Some of you may have seen that the Court is now requiring HUD to submit a weekly status report on progress towards getting FY25 money into the hands of CoC recipients, the first of which was due from HUD by last Monday, May 4.
In a meeting with Judge McElroy, she also asked the legal teams to identify any changes to our complaints by Tuesday, May 5.
As always, the legal jargon gets complicated quickly, but here’s the topline:
- We amended our part of the lawsuit to seek a permanent injunction to stop HUD from imposing unlawful provisions (should the court rule in our favor) in any future NOFO, including the NOFO for FY26 funds.
- We also informed the Court the status report filed by HUD does not fully resolve our concerns about ongoing delays in renewing FY25 projects, and that we may seek to address these unreasonable delays through additional action.
Towards the end of the week we learned that Quarter 1 FY25 grant agreements started reaching grantees – which is a huge relief for many of you. We will continue to keep a close eye on FY25 renewal grants and will update you with any additional information as it becomes available.
Looking forward, I once again encourage you all to become regular advocates and fight as loud as you can for the resources we need to do our jobs. It’s one more step in your busy days, but I guarantee that it’s worth the extra effort. Let’s get out there and have our voices heard.
You might also be interested in
Stay Updated: Solutions, Stories, and Ways to Make an Impact
Sign up to receive updates on the Alliance’s work, including the latest research, advocacy efforts, and real stories of progress — plus ways you can help drive lasting change.