Crypto News: Affordable housing vouchers at risk

Tenants' advocates are closely watching the federal budget as it begins to take shape. The process could affect the fates of millions of households who receive or qualify for housing assistance in the form of Section 8 vouchers.

Existing House and Senate budget proposals both include some funding increases. But neither of these would be enough just to maintain existing levels of service, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

That's because housing costs for many parts of the US have not fallen while household burdens for the poorest continue to rise. And even reaching a budget that provides for the status quo still neglects millions of households: As it stands, only about a quarter of the families who qualify for vouchers have one in hand.

Any funding discussion assumes that Congress can actually reach a deal on a budget before March 14, which is far from guaranteed. There's also a lot of uncertainty about what's happening inside the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, as the Trump administration cancels contracts and pushes program officers out the door. Patrick Sisson writes about the dark clouds swirling over Section 8, today on Citylab: Cuts to Section 8 Housing Assistance Loom Amid HUD Uncertainty

—Kriston Capps

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