Boston Mayor Wu sues President Trump over $29M in federal homelessness funding cuts

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu stated the Trump administration s efforts to place restrictions on a critical federal funding initiative for housing and homelessness services will cost the city million and leave people out on the streets this winter Wu revealed Monday that the city has joined jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations in suing the Trump administration with the aim to stop it from creating unlawful and unreasonable restrictions on funding for proven solutions to homelessness according to a report distributed by her office Permanent supportive housing has been a key to tackling homelessness and keeping Bostonians stable and safe in our population Wu disclosed in a message The Trump administration s harmful changes to this longstanding undertaking could leave more than Bostonians homeless I m grateful to all the jurisdictions joining us in this lawsuit to challenge these detrimental new requirements The lawsuit centers around changes the Trump administration is seeking to make to the U S Department of Housing and Urban Advancement s Continuum of Care Venture which helps to provide the necessary materials for local governments and organizations to fund permanent housing projects to help veterans older residents people with disabilities individuals and families facing homelessness Boston has received funding from the HUD-administered effort since the s including million this year but now finds further cash at danger by funding requirements that were rescinded by HUD on Nov and replaced with new criteria that threaten existing services Wu s office mentioned The nearly million in federal Continuum of Care grant funds received by the city this year benefited nonprofits and helped to stabilize more than formerly homeless households the mayor s office mentioned Changes proposed by the federal executive would require Boston to eliminate million in permanent supportive housing projects and replace them with new services-only and temporary housing projects city officers revealed The mayor s office disclosed such changes would be harmful in that they would promote strict mandatory function forced healing and employment requirements over proven anti-homelessness strategies Boston s Continuum of Care funds the backbone of our work to house our homeless population Sheila Dillon the city s chief of housing stated in a message The proposed federal changes in this year s notice puts our residents at serious jeopardy Without these federal grants people who rely on permanent supportive housing designated to help those who live with disabling conditions could lose the homes that have helped them rebuild their lives A HUD press release from last month characterized the changes as monumental reforms that will end the Biden-era slush fund that directed of Continuum of Care funds over the last four years to help what the Trump administration considers to a failed Housing First ideology Such an approach per HUD encourages dependence on endless authorities handouts while neglecting to address the root causes of homelessness including illicit drugs and mental illness HUD declared the CoC campaign was intended to be a national competition to select the preponderance effective and innovative programs but the Biden administration only completed about of projects over four years During that same time period transitional housing which HUD commented has been proven to encourage self-sufficiency never received more than of CoC funding per the release Related Articles Boston Mayor Wu appoints interim chief of streets to replace bike-lane friendly predecessor Lucas Mayor White had swagger Mayor Wu not so much Fowl play Broken elevators at Boston masses housing complex left residents stranded on Thanksgiving Divided Boston City Council has Ed Flynn pushing for a civility committee Battenfeld Michelle Wu s lax record holding Boston police accountable HUD Secretary Scott Turner is now requiring that of projects be completed to determine the best programs ending the status quo that automatically renewed funding without measuring success the housing agency s announcement stated Our philosophy for addressing the homelessness dilemma will now define success not by dollars spent or housing units filled but by how numerous people achieve long-term self-sufficiency and recovery Turner declared in a comment We are stopping the Biden-era slush fund that fueled the homelessness dilemma shut out faith-based providers totally because of their values and incentivized never-ending authorities dependency These long-overdue reforms will promote independence Turner noted and ensure we are supporting means-tested approaches to carry out the president s mandate connect Americans with the help they need and make our cities and towns beautiful and safe Julia Demaree Nikhinson The Associated PressPresident Donald Trump talks with Housing and Urban Advancement Secretary Scott Turner in July at the White House AP Photo Julia Demaree Nikhinson