Roughly 700 households across San Diego County could lose rental assistance as early as next year, throwing their housing stability into question in the midst of a regional crisis.
The Trump administration decided to end a federal pandemic-era emergency housing voucher program five years before expected, according to a letter sent earlier this month to public housing agencies nationwide. Local housing agencies, which use that federal money to help vulnerable families pay rent, are now scrambling to find other options to keep people in this program from falling into homelessness.
Officials with the San Diego Housing Commission, the region’s largest housing agency serving 17,000 city households, recently met with members of the local congressional delegation in Washington D.C. to learn more.
About 460 families in San Diego receive assistance from this federal program, said Lisa Jones, CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission.
“I have to be really frank that we just do not have a clear understanding right now with the communication we’ve received from the federal government about how long we will be able to continue this program or how long our funding will last,” Jones said. “Our team is already working to see how we can find other resources to support these families.”
In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, awarding 70,000 emergency housing vouchers to nearly 700 public housing authorities nationwide. The vouchers were intended to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, as well as domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initially said the money would keep flowing at least until 2030 and could be used until 2035.
The program was structured to target the most vulnerable among us, providing a higher level of assistance to prevent homelessness. In San Diego, for example, the average annual family income is $16,000 for program participants — well below the poverty line for a family of four.
Four of the region’s six housing agencies have received these vouchers, totalling at least $18 million every year in emergency rental assistance.
Earlier this month, federal officials sent a notice that all public housing agencies should manage these vouchers “with the expectation that no additional funding from HUD will be forthcoming.”
San Diego officials said they anticipate receiving more information with the final payment next month.
“Without this rental assistance, many of these families will be unable to pay their rent and likely will become homeless,” spokesperson Scott Marshall said, adding that officials are exploring other options to bridge the gap.
This comes at a time when, on average, more people become homeless every month throughout San Diego County than those who manage to end their homelessness and find housing. In the city, where the vast majority of unhoused residents live, roughly 90% of requests for shelter are denied for lack of availability.
Housing officials with San Diego County, National City, and Oceanside are also bracing for the effects of losing this funding to keep people housed.
The San Diego County Housing Authority is currently helping more than 200 families pay rent through this federal program, according to a spokesperson. Officials anticipate having enough funding to continue the program into next year.
Read the rest of the story at inewsource.org.
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