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Committee asks OHS for plan to prevent housing losses after HUD funding changes
Summary
Members asked the Office of Homeless Services for a contingency plan using Metro's recent $4.4 million allocation to help protect currently housed residents if federal Continuum of Care funding is reduced; committee recommended the nonbinding resolution 6–0–1.
The Budget & Finance Committee voted to recommend RS2025-1711, a nonbinding resolution urging the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) to present a mid‑March plan describing how Metro would use its recent $4.4 million appropriation to prevent existing beneficiaries from losing housing amid federal Continuum of Care (CoC) NOFO changes.
Sponsor Councilmember Welsh said HUD rescinded an earlier two‑year automatic renewal process and reissued a NOFO, creating substantive uncertainty for CoC‑funded programs. The total CoC award for Nashville (as announced) was referenced in committee testimony as approximately $11.8 million, but OHS explained those federal funds are distributed among multiple community agencies and many of the awards will begin in calendar year 2026.
Allison Cantwell of OHS (introduced during the hearing) told the committee the office has been conducting contingency planning since February, holding weekly meetings with funded agencies and collecting updated impact reports and contingency plans from grantees. She said Metro's additional $4.4 million was allocated primarily to two uses in the prior cycle: $2 million for Strobel House (a permanent supportive housing project) and about $2.4 million for rental assistance/rapid rehousing; some of that pool is already being used to house people this week, she said.
Councilmembers asked whether the resolution would compel OHS to redirect funds away from current beneficiaries; OHS and the sponsor said the resolution is nonbinding and is intended to request a transparent plan and contingency analysis, not to automatically reallocate funds. "This resolution does not divert any funds," sponsor Welsh said; OHS said they are already working with grantees to prevent service interruptions and will provide updated impact reports.
The committee recommended approval (recorded: 6 in favor, 0 against, 1 not voting) and requested OHS provide the requested plan and updated data so council can evaluate contingency options if HUD reissues funding guidance that reduces renewals.
