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City manager warns of federal grant cuts and uncertain funding for human services, cites Harvard review and FEMA cancellations
Summary
City Manager Yon Wong told the Cambridge City Council that multiple federal programs are under review or canceled — including demands placed on Harvard and FEMA grant cancellations — and flagged uncertainty for local programs such as LIHEAP; the council placed the federal update on file.
City Manager Yon Wong told the City Council on April 14 that the federal government’s recent actions are creating immediate uncertainty for a range of programs Cambridge relies on, including grants that support climate resiliency, low-income energy assistance and fair housing enforcement.
Wong said federal officials announced a review of nearly $9 billion in grants to Harvard and that the university’s president had publicly refused to negotiate away institutional independence. “I’m proud of Harvard for standing up and demonstrating the importance of leadership,” Wong said, describing public rallies and local solidarity.
Separately, Wong said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has canceled more than $5.5 billion in previously awarded Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants covering 2020–2024, a move that includes more than $100 million in coastal flood-control grants for Boston Harbor. He described a technical limitation: because many FEMA awards are not yet obligated, municipalities may lack legal standing to recover the funds. That action, Wong said, represented “an extraordinary breach of regular order and trust in the federal government.”
Wong also told the council that staff were tracking reductions or staffing changes at programs that Cambridge administers on behalf of regional partners — notably the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). He said Cambridge currently administers LIHEAP for Cambridge and Somerville and receives about $1.6 million in funding; the council later appropriated $500,000 of heating assistance that had already been received.
Councilors asked for follow-up details and staff agreed to provide more information as it becomes available. After the discussion the council voted to place the federal update on file by roll call (9–0).
Why it matters: The city’s regular reliance on federally funded programs means sudden federal actions can create near-term gaps in services (energy assistance, resiliency projects and housing supports). City staff said they are monitoring grant status and possible legal options but warned that some lost federal obligations may be difficult or impossible to recover.
Key numbers and programs referenced in the update: $9 billion in federal grant reviews related to Harvard (administration announcement), $5.5 billion in FEMA BRIC cancellations, and roughly $1.6 million in LIHEAP funding Cambridge administers for two cities; the council appropriated $500,000 of heating assistance on April 14.
