Overview of Administration’s FY 2009 Budget

The President’s budget proposal was released on February 4, 2008 for fiscal year 2009. Although this budget reflects the Administration’s funding priorities, Congress will make decisions on actual funding levels later this year. This budget is meant to guide the House and Senate as they decide on funding levels for programs during the appropriations process. Most of the work being done to influence these funding levels is on securing support from Congress as they approve appropriation bills to make them into laws along with the Administration.

Some key points to note as they relate to people CCIL serves:

The budget proposes increased funding for the Department of Defense, cuts to health care programs, and about $2.4 billion less for domestic discretionary programs outside of Homeland Security. These programs include most of the housing, human service, veterans, education, and infrastructure programs that help low-income people. Taking inflation into account, these programs would be cut by 4 percent from last year.

The Administration’s budget proposed increasing funding for HUD’s homeless assistance programs (McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Grants) by $50 million to $1.636 billion. This is an inadequate funding level as permanent housing renewal programs alone will increase by approximately $95 million. This proposal does not include a prisoner reentry initiative or a rapid rehousing initiative for families. $1.8 billion is needed to make progress toward national goal of ending chronic homelessness by 2012.

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program was suggested to receive a $53 million cut in funding, leaving it with $100 million. This grant funds overnight and transitional shelters as well as supportive services.

**Statistics taken from the National Alliance to End Homelessness website. For more information on advocacy efforts being done to influence appropriations made on housing and homelessness issues, sign up for advocacy updates at their website: www.endhomelessness.org **