OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON — Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has filed his 45th lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging sweeping changes to federal homelessness funding under the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program. The state receives about $120 million annually through the grants, which support nonprofits and local governments assisting people seeking stable housing.
HUD’s revised rules shift funding away from permanent supportive housing and toward transitional programs, add new competitive requirements, and impose tighter standards for grant recipients. The changes stem from a July 24 executive order in which President Donald Trump argued that homelessness is driven largely by addiction and mental health issues, calling for a move toward long-term institutional treatment and stricter accountability for grantees.
At a Tuesday press conference, Brown denounced the policies as “unlawful and unconstitutional,” warning they would force thousands back into shelters, hospitals, and crisis facilities. State Rep. Nicole Macri, deputy director of the Downtown Emergency Service Center, said the federal government has a “legal and moral obligation” to uphold longstanding commitments to vulnerable residents.
The updated Notice of Funding Opportunity slashes permanent housing allocations from 87% of Continuum of Care spending to 30%. HUD Secretary Scott Turner defended the shift as an effort to end “Biden-era slush funds” and reorient programs toward self-sufficiency.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and 19 other states joined a separate multistate lawsuit Tuesday, arguing the changes could eliminate thousands of housing programs and unlawfully penalize communities that serve LGBTQ+ residents or maintain policies that diverge from federal directives.
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