Local housing advocates warn HUD FY2025 funding changes threaten hundreds of Ottawa County households

Christina Ford, representing the Lakeshore Housing Alliance of Ottawa County, used the meeting’s public‑comment period to warn that new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY2025 funding rules threaten local housing stability. "By cutting guaranteed renewals from 90% to just 30%, ... these changes put more than 400 households at risk, including 150 children," Ford said, urging HUD to provide flexible and bridge funding while communities adapt.

Ford said Ottawa County providers have invested "millions based on prior federal guidance," and that abrupt changes without transition support will strain local taxpayers and charitable organizations. "Without places for people to land long term, like truly affordable housing, we risk cycling people through a crisis instead of creating stability," she added.

The comment framed the concern as both fiscal and programmatic: Ford pointed to reduced renewal guarantees and caps on permanent housing funding as drivers of instability, and asked the commission to note the risks and advocate for a federal transition plan. The speaker also emphasized the county’s local role in coordinating emergency shelter, outreach and permanent‑housing solutions, saying supportive services matter only if there are long‑term placements available.

The commission did not take formal action on Ford’s comment during the meeting; commissioners and staff later discussed incorporating public input into upcoming strategic planning and outreach efforts.

Provenance: public comment presented beginning at SEG 015 and concluding at SEG 048.