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Lane County officials flag federal budget cuts and urge coordinated advocacy to protect homelessness services
Summary
At a Lane County Poverty and Homelessness Board executive committee meeting, staff warned that proposed federal budget cuts could reduce funding for programs tied to homelessness services; county and city staff discussed uncertainty, potential state impacts and options for coordinated local advocacy.
Lane County homelessness and community action manager James Yoo told the Poverty and Homelessness Board executive committee on June 26 that a recently released federal budget proposal could substantially reduce funding for programs that support homelessness and anti-poverty work.
The information Yoo presented is “updated as of a half an hour ago,” he said, and reflects changing guidance about proposed eliminations or reductions to programs such as the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), LIHEAP, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME, preschool development grants and other federal supports. Yoo said the draft federal proposal also highlights a shift toward Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) formula funding and what was described as a potential two-year cap on housing assistance, but he cautioned the meaning of that cap is still unclear.
Why it matters: Board members said the proposal, if enacted, could strain local providers and hamper both shelter and long-term housing programs. Yoo and other speakers urged members to be ready to advocate with state and federal representatives as budget details evolve and noted that the federal proposal must still pass Congress.
The state outlook: Yoo said the state budget forecast issued the previous day projected a $755,000,000 reduction in the statewide outlook, a change officials attributed in part to federal uncertainty. He also said Governor Tina Kotek remains focused on funding for homelessness services, behavioral health and education, which the county hopes will protect state-supported homelessness programs through the legislative process.
Local response and advocacy: Participants discussed whether the board should prepare a short, shared set of talking points to support coordinated advocacy. Amanda Noble Flannery, housing and homeless opportunity section manager for the City of Eugene, noted HUD had published award amounts for the coming fiscal year and that Eugene’s CDBG and HOME allocations were “fairly stable, plus or minus 3%,” but she agreed uncertainty persists for later years if federal cuts occur. Local provider Chris McCallister urged caution about a single unified statement because local priorities vary by jurisdiction; he said providers have limited advocacy capacity and that any joint message should invite input from frontline organizations.
What was not decided: The board did not adopt a formal, single statement at the meeting. Members agreed staff and county policy staff would be asked to draft possible bullet points for members to review and use in local advocacy, with further discussion to follow.
Ending: Yoo and several members said they will keep the board updated as more federal and state budget details are released and encouraged board members and local partners to engage legislators about the potential local impacts of any cuts.
