Ayotte Asks Trump Administration To Reconsider Change In Temporary Housing Eligibility

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH

CONCORD, NH — Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she is asking the Trump Administration to reconsider its decision last month to revise temporary housing policies for the homeless.

On Nov. 13 the administration announced changes to the Housing and Urban Development's Continuum of Care competitive grant program. It would focus on recovery services and mental health counseling rather than housing solutions which presently do not carry work requirements.

The focus of the $3.9 billion program would shift more to self-sufficiency, personal accountability and crack down on "DEI, gender ideology extremism and the misuse of and abuse of taxpayer dollars on illegal aliens," according to a federal press release.

Nonprofit agencies in New Hampshire which work with individuals experiencing homelessness are concerned because the changes would cap the percentage of funds for housing at 30 percent where now in New Hampshire more than 60 percent of those funds are used for permanent housing solutions.

"We just learned about this in the last two days," Ayotte told reporters in her office, Wednesday. "We have already been in touch with HUD. I am deeply concerned about the implications of these new regulations," she said.

There is a lawsuit that other states have taken against the Administration but New Hampshire has not joined that effort.

"The funding doesn't come out until January...and it wouldn't actually go into effect until June so we have a period here thankfully through the winter because that was my biggest concern to work through this but I am hoping they are going to reconsider this and if not, we will look at our other options," the governor said.

"We always have the ability to sue if we want to but my first tact is not going to be to sue but find out what we can do right now to address the concerns and I can tell you I was very strident in telling HUD that I disagreed with their new proposals as to how they would implement this funding and not allow it for more temporary housing and the impact on New Hampshire. So I am actually hopeful ...I understand that I am not the only governor. Governors on both sides of the aisle are concerned about this so I am hoping HUD will take a pause," Ayotte said.

She noted that the suit which has been filed in Rhode Island focuses on the failure of the administration to follow the Administrative Procedures Act.

"If that suit is successful the whole process will have to start all over again," she said. "The feedback on that is not great."

According to a statement by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner this represents the most significant policy reforms and changes in the program's history.

The notice of funding opportunity "restores accountability to homelessness programs and promotes self-sufficiency among vulnerable Americans. It redirects the majority of funding to transitional housing and supportive services ending the status quo that perpetuated homelessness through a self-sustaining slush fund.

"Roughly 90 percent of the last four years of (Continuum of Care) awards funneled funding to support the failed 'Housing First' ideology, which encourages dependence on endless government handouts while neglecting to address the root causes of homelessness, including illicit drugs and mental illness," the press release states.

As part of the announcement Secretary Turner is requiring that 70 percent of projects be competed to determine the best programs, ending the status quo that automatically renewed funding without measuring success.

"Our philosophy for addressing the homelessness crisis will now define success not by dollars spent or housing units filled, but by how many people achieve long-term self-sufficiency and recovery," Turner said.

Non profits in New Hampshire which receive funding are looking at the new scoring and deadlines for proposals which are here https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/homeless-services/balance-state-continuum-care/fy-2025-continuum-care-program
The NH Council for Housing Stability has a long term plan beginning in 2025 which can be found here https://nhchs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-CHS-Housing-Stability-Plan-FINAL.pdf

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.