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D.C.-area leaders are urging Congress and the Trump administration to protect the flow of federal homelessness funding, warning that even brief disruptions could destabilize providers and the people relying on housing and support services.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments board voted unanimously Wednesday, Jan. 14, to seek predictable funding as the federal government develops new rules for future grants. No board member voiced opposition to the resolution.
“These programs provide critical support to thousands of our neighbors,” said Christine Hong, chair of COG’s Homeless Services Planning and Coordinating Committee and chief of housing services for Montgomery County, Maryland.
Late in 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development withdrew guidelines for upcoming continuum-of-care funding. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Dec. 19 that blocked restrictions on the money while the dispute proceeds through the courts.
Local officials said that temporary legal victory has not eliminated the uncertainty confronting governments and organizations serving people without housing.
“When that funding is delayed or disrupted, it creates immediate operational risks for providers and immediate stability risk for people who depend on that housing and services,” Hong said.
Service interruptions can spread quickly, she added, potentially forcing providers into emergency situations. The COG resolution asks congressional leaders and HUD to maintain the expected funding flow for 2026 while new rules are established.
“Protecting the funds is critical,” said Andrea Bailey, a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
Regional homelessness remains above 2021 level
COG’s January 2025 point-in-time survey counted nearly 9,700 people living in shelters or on the streets across the Washington region. Although that represented a slight decline from 2024, the regional count had climbed 19% since 2021.
Fairfax County counted 1,322 people in January 2025, up from 1,278 in 2024 and 8% higher than in 2021.
Hong cautioned that the survey captures only one moment. Local governments and safety-net organizations serve tens of thousands of people throughout the year, she said.
The 2026 point-in-time count is scheduled for later in January, with results expected in the spring.
During fiscal year 2024, the region received $77.4 million in federal continuum-of-care funding, including $12.4 million for Fairfax County. Not all of that support is at risk during the current fiscal year, but Hong said any reduction would cause tangible harm and could retraumatize people who have already been placed in housing.
Officials raise concerns about broader cuts
Falls Church City Council representative David Snyder said homelessness programs are among several areas in which localities face federal funding cuts. He also cited emergency management, transportation and environmental programs.
Snyder asked whether COG had compiled an inventory of the cuts and their effects on local governments.
“We do what we can,” Executive Director Clark Mercer responded, adding that new developments arise each week and that the organization needs to conduct a deeper review.
Arlington County Board member Takis Karantonis argued that the funding turmoil should not be viewed as accidental dysfunction.
“This is not a dysfunction. There is a purpose attached,” Karantonis said. “They’re maximizing the pain.”
He urged regional leaders to remain alert for reductions affecting other federal services, warning that the homelessness funding dispute was unlikely to be the last challenge they would confront.