Last Saturday, the current government shutdown became the longest in U.S. history. Both its duration and the circumstances that have led to it are unprecedented, making it difficult to predict when The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other government agencies will reopen. What impact does the shutdown have on SHA housing residents and voucher holders?

At this point, subsidies for these housing programs are not affected. HUD, which provides the funding, has funded SHA for all of January and has informed SHA that it will also fully fund February. It is unclear what would happen to SHA’s federal funding after that, should the shutdown continue that long.

Thanks to thoughtful and careful budget planning by the SHA Board of Commissioners however, SHA is in a better position than many housing authorities in that the agency has some funds in reserve, specifically to guard against this type of eventuality. SHA is confident that it can fund expenses, including housing and voucher subsidies, through March if that becomes necessary. SHA is working on contingency planning for an emergency budget that would go into effect after that, in an effort to try to maximize remaining resources.

SHA emphasizes that, while it is important to be prudent and make plans for a potential funding emergency, it does not expect a continuing shutdown past February or an abrupt halt to federal funding. However, SHA recognizes that, in this unusual political climate, there is no guarantee it won’t happen.

SHA is committed to making sure that tenants have accurate and current information about its funding for housing and vouchers, and recommends that tenants continue to check The Voice and SHA website for updates. If tenants still have questions, they can speak with their property manager or Housing Choice Voucher counselor.

The government is only partially shut down and some programs – including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare and Medicaid payments – are considered “essential functions” and will continue regardless of the shutdown. This is not the case with the food stamp program known as SNAP, which is funded through February but otherwise has an uncertain future under the shutdown.

SHA is closely monitoring developments on the federal government shutdown and also is working with national affordable housing coalitions demanding that Congress and the administration end the shutdown and the uncertainty it presents for millions across the country living in housing supported by federal funding.