Seattle-area housing providers warn federal cuts could put thousands at risk

On April 3, 2025, the Seattle City Council’s Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes heard a briefing from local housing and homelessness providers on how federal policy and budget changes could affect services and housing production in Seattle and King County.

The presentations warned that proposed federal staffing reductions, changes to homelessness grant agreements, lower low-income housing tax credit prices and tariffs on construction materials could combine to reduce available rental assistance, delay or cancel affordable housing projects and leave thousands of vulnerable residents at risk of losing supports.

Speakers told the committee that federal funds remain a major part of the local homelessness response and affordable-housing financing stack. King County Regional Homelessness Authority, housing developers and service providers outlined immediate operational impacts, numbers of people potentially affected, and contingency planning they are undertaking with local partners.

Simon Foster, deputy CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, told the committee that the agency and partner jurisdictions depend on federal Continuum of Care and HUD funds. Foster said KCRHA “receives directly from HUD $23,000,000” and noted an additional $36,000,000 goes directly to King County, for a combined $66,000,000 in HUD-related funding in the region. He said roughly $7,000,000 of that amount flows to contracted service providers.

Foster gave a point estimate of populations at risk if renewals or reimbursements are delayed. “We’re talking…