“We know the consequences of not responsibly governing year to year but when we accept continuing resolutions, we waste time and effort and accept priorities of prior congresses rather than put in the hard work to define our own,” House Appropriations HUD Subcommittee Tom Cole (R-OK) said when he opened his April 18 hearing on HUD’s FY24 budget.

HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge was the sole witness. Expressing his disdain for continuing resolutions, which are a threat given the wide divide of opinions on increasing or cutting federal housing funding, Chair Cole asked what the consequences of a year-long CR would be for HUD.

“There would be a major setback” in housing, Secretary Fudge said. “It would put us in turmoil.” Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) raised the issue of homelessness among older adults and asked about HUD’s efforts to address the shortage of affordable senior housing.

“One of the things we did in our FY24 budget request was for resources for Section 202 senior housing. We know that seniors are one of the fastest groups of people moving to the streets. On fixed incomes, they just cannot afford the rents, so this is a fast-growing group becoming homeless. We are requesting more funding for senior housing as well as asking communities and mayors to use their CDBG Section 108 loan program to help,” Secretary Fudge said, explaining that jurisdictions can borrow up to five times the amount of their Community Development Block Grant funding to develop housing in their communities.

Read Secretary Fudge’s written testimony here and watch the hearing here.

View LeadingAge’s priorities for FY24 HUD funding here.