Welcome back to another CEO Corner.
Last week was one for the record books. There were things to celebrate in court, things to be concerned about in our government, and some truly abhorrent things in the national media. Let’s dig into them all.
Judge Temporarily Halts Unlawful NOFO
On Thursday, you may have seen that the Alliance, along with our colleagues at the Women’s Development Corporation in Rhode Island, filed suit and a motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in relation to the Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued on September 5, 2025. The Alliance is represented by Democracy Forward and the National Homelessness Law Center, and we were granted a hearing on the motion for a TRO on Friday afternoon.
On Friday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted a temporary restraining order in the case of National Alliance to End Homelessness v. Turner, et al, halting HUD’s unlawful restrictions on federal housing funding through the “Continuum of Care (CoC) Builds” program. Although this is still early in the legal process, this is positive news. The order ensures that providers and communities will not be barred from competing for funding simply because they are in jurisdictions that don’t adopt the administration’s ideological agenda, while the litigation continues.
We will continue to keep communities posted on this litigation as it evolves.
CoC Program Competition NOFO
Please note: the CoC Program Competition is different than the litigation involving the CoC Builds NOFO above.
As our members and partners know, HUD has not issued any substantive communication about the FY2025 CoC Program funding process since its letter to CoCs on July 3, stating that there would be a new competition for FY2025 funds. But it is evident from the President’s FY2026 Budget Request, Executive Orders, and the latest re-issuance of HUD’s CoC Builds NOFO that HUD may attempt to use this NOFO to upend the way in which communities respond to homelessness.
HUD’s drastic changes to the September 5 CoC Builds NOFO have potential implications for the broader CoC Program — including the de-prioritization of proven solutions like permanent supportive housing, screening out eligible applicants, and inclusion of rating criteria that has nothing to do with homelessness. Further, by issuing a new NOFO with any significant changes at this point in the year, HUD is providing communities very little time to implement changes we believe are coming, as currently operating CoC renewal awards begin expiring on January 1, 2026.
As you likely know, the later in the year the NOFO is released, the more delayed awards will be made — which could be April or beyond at this point. Such a delay would result in rent checks being delayed, payroll for staff being missed, and other bills going unpaid. These all pose a threat to program operations and the people these projects are already serving.
The significantly reduced workforce and the thrice-issued CoC Builds NOFO also raises concerns about HUD’s capacity and capabilities to administer a timely and lawful CoC Competition.
Please reach out to your Members of Congress as soon as possible to make them aware of these significant concerns — and about the negative impact to your community, should HUD significantly change priorities this late in the year or fail to award grants until April 2026. They are making decisions THIS WEEK about the upcoming Continuing Resolution for FY2026, a prime opportunity for Congress to hold HUD accountable for their actions.
We also encourage communities to make plans now on how you will respond to a NOFO that could include some or all of the harmful proposals reflected in the Administration’s budget, Executive Orders, or the September 5 CoC Builds NOFO. The Alliance will be standing by to provide guidance, tools, and support as details emerge.
Alliance Calls for the Firing of FOX News Anchor
Following his comments calling for unhoused people to be killed by lethal injection, the Alliance has called on FOX News to immediately terminate the employment of anchor Brian Kilmeade.
It is inconceivable that any journalist would still be employed after calling on one of the most vulnerable groups of people in this country to be killed en masse. FOX News has a responsibility to accurately cover the forces that drive the homelessness crisis and directly impact their viewers’ communities: an out of control housing market, an abandoned commitment to addressing affordability, an insufficient social safety net, and a threadbare infrastructure for the nation’s healthcare needs — including funding for mental health services. Meanwhile, providers across this nation work tirelessly to rehouse people every day, with little recognition by the media. The ongoing failure to accurately address these issues only ensures more division, fear, and misinformation about homelessness at a time when we must come together on the known solutions.”
Ann OlivaCEO, National Alliance to End Homelessness
Read more in our statement.
Glimmers
This Wednesday is our long-awaited Virtual Capitol Hill Day. And make no mistake about it: advocacy is critical right now. I can’t overstate that: we all need to be speaking up.
That is why I am so thrilled that almost 1,400 of you have signed up to participate!
There is so much at stake at this moment, and none of us can afford to be on the sidelines. We are beyond grateful that when we reached out, this community responded — as you always do.
Thank you so much for speaking up on behalf of the people you serve and the programs your community relies upon.
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