June 27, 2025
Three things to know
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New priorities at the federal level are driving policy and spending changes that affect Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) and the more than 37,000 people who rely on us for housing.
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Congress is developing a budget which could affect SHA residents and voucher program participants. We won’t know for sure about future funding until Congress acts. In the meantime, SHA is developing budget options to protect tenants, participants and their housing.
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We have a list of resources for people with questions about immigration issues.
Where we are now
Congress is developing a new federal budget and is considering major cuts to needed service programs, including housing.
Earlier this year, SHA created an internal team to monitor and respond to federal changes.
SHA also slowed spending and started working to develop budget options to cushion the effects of federal funding changes and protect residents and voucher recipients.
Getting ready for the future
Resources for immigration concerns & other topics
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Some tenants or participants may have questions about immigration issues and potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or police enforcement. While Seattle Housing Authority staff cannot provide legal advice, there are other organizations who can. View a list of organizations.
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Some tenants and participants may have questions about potential changes to their Medicare and Medicaid benefits. KFF (formerly Kaiser Family Foundation) provides nonpartisan information and analysis on both Medicare and Medicaid.
Through the fall, Congress will be working to develop the budget, and even more work will need to be done afterwards to set exact spending levels. In addition, some parts of the President’s proposed budget may require even more Congressional action (analysis available from the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities).
There are a lot of procedural steps while Congress establishes a budget. SHA is closely tracking events and will share information with the public when we have confidence that the information is accurate and lasting enough to be used to make decisions.
It may be a long time before the impact of the federal budget is clear. In the meantime, SHA is also developing a 2026 budget. The Board of Commissioners will discuss options and will likely approve a budget in October 2025.
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If you would like to share how any of these federal changes might affect you, Congressional representatives can be reached at 202.224.3121. You can also look up their contact information at www.usa.gov/elected-officials.