Lane County staff warn federal cuts could shrink anti-poverty funding for FY2026

County staff told members of the Lane County Poverty and Homelessness Board Executive Committee on Jan. 16 that several federal funding streams the county uses to address poverty and homelessness face potential reductions in fiscal year 2026.

Kate (last name not provided), representing the county Human Services Division, told the committee the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) is the single largest federal risk: the county now receives about $300,000 and the program is on a federal list to be fully eliminated under a proposed federal plan. She said the Continuum of Care award submitted in October 2024 should hold for the next two years but that Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds are likely to decline modestly (Kate estimated ~15% for CDBG and ~20% for ESG). She also described expected reductions to tenant-based rental assistance that flows through Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

Kate stressed uncertainty in all projections: federal funding could change with continuing resolutions and appropriations, and county officials may not know…