November 20, 2025
Updated November 2025
After the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, the federal government has finally reopened. While this is an important step toward stability, things are far from being “back to normal.”
The shutdown created deep uncertainty for communities that depend on federal housing and homelessness programs. Now, new federal actions, especially HUD’s FY2025 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are introducing additional and immediate risks for Ohio and Franklin County.
HUD has released the FY2025 CoC NOFO with:
Earliest possible award date: May 1, 2026
While CoC programs remain funded under current grant cycles, the timing of the NOFO and the shift in federal priorities create uncertainty, especially for housing programs scheduled to renew in 2026.
The FY2025 NOFO also includes sweeping policy changes that could significantly impact communities nationwide, including:
These changes could reduce resources for programs that have historically kept people housed and stable.
According to statewide analysis, the FY2025 NOFO could:
Programs at risk span permanent supportive housing (PSH), rapid rehousing (RRH), youth housing, domestic violence housing, street outreach, and supportive services that help people remain stably housed.
Franklin County’s homelessness response system relies heavily on CoC resources. Our data shows that our community depends on:
Additionally, the NOFO includes a 30% cap on permanent housing funding and introduces new scoring criteria based on factors outside local control, such as public camping laws and the availability of treatment beds.
If these federal shifts move forward, hundreds of Franklin County residents could face heightened housing instability, placing significant strain on shelters, landlords, outreach teams, hospitals, and crisis response systems. These disruptions would also limit pathways out of homelessness, preventing thousands from progressing from emergency shelter toward long-term housing stability and homeownership.
Community Shelter Board is continuing to work closely with local, state, and national partners to protect housing stability for people in Franklin County and the Central Ohio region.
We are aligned with statewide and national partners calling for a federal approach that strengthens, rather than destabilizes housing programs serving people with the greatest needs.
You can support these efforts by contacting your federal elected officials and urging them to:
Click here to find your Congressional member.
To learn more about the impact of these changes, visit these resources provided by COHHIO and the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH).