What Happens to Rental (and other) Assistance When Fed Govt Shuts Down

The federal government will shut down at 12:01am Wednesday morning without an agreement between congressional Democrats and Republicans. 

Most funds for HUD and Rural Development (USDA) rental assistance programs have already been legally obligated through November, so federally-assisted tenants should not experience a disruption in the government's portion of October and November rent. 

However, many tenants rely on other federal benefits to be able to pay rent, so families need to be informed on how (a long-term) shut down may impact the administration and/or payments under other federal programs (e.g., SNAP/WIC, TANF, Social Security, etc.). 

• The attached NHLP flyer explains that tenants with federal rental assistance should not receive a rent increase, termination or eviction notice due to the shutdown.
• The attached NHLP legal memo provides an analysis of tenants' rights during a government shutdown with respect to the major HUD and RD housing programs.

NOTE:  If the shutdown lasts beyond November, the risks to assisted tenants will drastically change.  Sign up with the Federal-State Resilience working group which will keep you updated on any new developments on the federal budget and impacts on low-income Massachusetts residents.