01/15/2014

Budget Outlook for Supportive Housing and Homeless Programs

While it is not finalized yet, it appears likely that the FY14 Appropriations funding will be passed by both the House and Senate and signed by the president this weekend.  The Omnibus Bill has been released under the larger agreement agreed to late last year by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Paul Ryan.   Here are the preliminary HUD numbers as they stand now.

  • $19.177 billion for Section 8 Housing Voucher Program, which is an increase of $237 million from the enacted funding level last year.
  • $9.917 billion for Project Based Rental Assistance which represents an increase of $577 million from the enacted funding level from last year.
  • $3.03 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) program, an $82 million increase from the enacted funding level from last year
  • $2.105 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants, an increase of $72 million from enacted funding level from last year.
  • $1 billion for HOME funding which was also the enacted funding last year.

In addition to the HUD numbers, here are a few other highlights from the budget, including:

  • SAMHSA Homeless programs were mostly level funded.
  • Center for Mental Health Services – Homeless Prevention Programs – level at 30.772 million
  • Center for Substance Abuse Treatment – Treatment Systems for Homeless – slight decrease from FY 2013 (pre-sequestration amounts) - $41.488 million (down only $83,000)
  • The Social Innovation Fund (of which CSH is a grantee) received a substantial increase; with FY14 funding  at $70 million - from $44.8 million in FY 13.  Additionally, up to 20% of the funding is made available to support the Social Innovation Funds Pilot Program-related performance-based awards for Pay for Success projects.
  • $5 million appropriation within the Department of Justice’s Second Chance Act to finance supportive housing-based Pay for Success pilot(s). CSH advocated strongly for this initiative as a financing mechanism for expanding supportive housing opportunities for people involved in the criminal justice system.

We will update you once the FY14 Appropriations become law along with the final numbers.   While these numbers are an improvement from last year’s sequestration levels, they could still be better.  We will be working throughout the year on continuing the upward trajectory in funding for future years, and encourage you to join us in that effort.   Any questions?   Please contact Andy McMahon, Managing Director of Government  Affairs and Innovations.

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