Vermont housing officials warn shutdown, House cuts could leave thousands without vouchers

Vermont housing officials told the House Committee on General and Housing on Nov. 5 that the federal government shutdown and steep House appropriations cuts are producing immediate, measurable shortfalls in Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) funding and threaten the ability of public housing authorities to make payments beginning in January 2026.

James Paradisis, outreach director for Sen. Bernie Sanders, told the committee the shutdown has created uncertainty at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and delayed distribution of some grant funds, including Continuum of Care awards. "At a time when 31% of homeowners and 51% of renters are paying more than 30% of their income toward housing in Vermont," Paradisis said, "we cannot allow them to become further burdened." He and other delegation staff urged the committee to monitor both the budget and bills moving in Congress that would affect housing.

Staff for Sen. Patrick Leahy and Sen. Peter Welch described the Senate appropriations outlook as comparatively less damaging than the House proposal. Miles McGurman, a constituent-services representative for Sen. Welch, said the Senate budget includes an increase for contract renewals and modest increases for project-based rental assistance but signaled cuts to public…