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A recent article on NPR,”Housing experts worry about federal plans to cut homelessness programs,” dives into the potential pitfalls of cutting homelessness programs and services.

Federal budget cuts are raising concerns among housing experts in Illinois, particularly regarding their impact on affordable housing and homelessness, with seniors being the most affected. Despite an increase of $4.5 billion for HUD programs, key areas are facing reductions, exacerbating the existing shortage of affordable housing. While Illinois has invested in housing programs, experts stress that without increased federal funding, the crisis will persist.

In the article, professor Andrew Greenlee explains that while the low-income population has declined over the past decade, the availability of affordable housing has not improved, maintaining a persistent gap.

“The prospect of more cuts and the uncertainty surrounding federal programs, “really is doing significant harm to to our ability to deliver that housing to people who desperately need it. And one other aspect of that that I think is increasingly important is that across the country, the profile of who is taking advantage of or participating in low income housing is also changing, increasingly the participants who are receiving the low income housing benefits are senior citizens.”

Read the full article on NPR.