WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the District Court of Rhode Island blocked the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from overhauling the Continuum of Care (CoC) program. The ruling follows months of litigation over HUD’s efforts to cap and restructure CoC grants, and comes after the nation’s mayors called on Congress and HUD in December to renew this funding and shield it from the kind of abrupt policy shifts that put existing housing programs and vulnerable residents at risk. In response to today’s ruling, U.S. Conference of Mayors President Todd Gloria, Mayor of San Diego, released the following statement.
“America’s mayors welcome today’s decision, which protects critical permanent housing programs that communities across the country rely on to prevent people from returning to homelessness.
“Cities need stability and predictability in federal homelessness funding. Abrupt changes that put existing housing and proven local programs at risk make it harder for mayors to address homelessness and deliver results for our residents.
“We urge HUD to quickly provide clarity on the path forward and work with mayors on an approach that protects existing housing while helping more people move off the streets and into permanent homes.”