Advocates gathered last week at the Massachusetts GOP headquarters in the West End to protest President Donald Trump’s proposed 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which would cut funding in housing for low-income families. The Just Budget and Tax Coalition delivered a “cease & desist” letter to Amy Carnevale, the state GOP chair, urging her to contact the House THUD Appropriations Subcommittee in Washington to repudiate these cuts.
The bill will eliminate all rental housing subsidies from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that keep rent affordable for nearly 10 million low-income families across the country. It would be replaced by Block Grants to the states, with a decrease of about 43% in funding, including a two-year time limit for working families.
“The Trump administration is determined to destroy HUD rental housing, all Section 8 vouchers, all project-based section 8 and public housing rental assistance, plus senior and disability housing that receive HUD rental subsidies,” said Michael Kane, co-coordinator of Leaders and Organizers for Tenant Empowerment (LOFTE). “They’re really horrible and dangerous proposals.”
Roughly 363,000 Massachusetts residents who live in 195,000 low-income households would be impacted. The effect of this bill could cause these individuals to experience homelessness or even displacement.
According to advocates, this could potentially abruptly end Project Based Rental Assistance for 60,400 privately owned, HUD subsidized apartments. “It’s a really irresponsible proposal. It would also destabilize the industry. The Section 8 owners would not be happy with that; it could … drop many of them and the lenders. It would create chaos in the subsidized housing market,” Kane said.
The Trump administration’s 2026 budget proposal also includes around 54% in cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency, 43% to the National Institutes for Health and 57% to the National Science Foundation, which could risk public health and safety.
Kane explained how it would be difficult for the state to take over and cover these costs, especially after the Trump administration has already cut funding in other major areas. “The state wouldn’t be able to really [fund] it because they’re also being hit by the mandatory cuts in Medicaid, health care, and SNAP.”
With the increase of bills proposed by the Trump administration that aim to reduce funding for programs vital for many, Kane is hopeful that opponents will be able to fight against them.
“I think people mobilizing and expressing their views to members of Congress is working because it looks like the subcommittee is going to reject these proposals,” said Kane.
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