The National Housing Law Project on Snap Lapse and the Government Shutdown: Kids Will Go Hungry

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Housing Law Project today released the following statement by Deputy Director Deborah Thrope in response to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding lapsing during the government shutdown:

“No matter what we look like, where we call home, or how much is in our wallets, we do what it takes to house and feed our families. Starting today, people will go hungry or face homelessness because the Trump administration refuses to release SNAP funding for millions of our neighbors and Congressional Republicans continue to reject proposals to end the government shutdown.

“In the richest country in the world, the government shouldn’t force people to choose between rent, food, and healthcare. Trump and Congressional Republicans are undermining our federal government’s ability to help people meet their basic needs, and making poor and working people’s survival dependent on massive corporations that put their profit first.

“Today the rent is due for 44 million tenants, health costs will spike for 24 million people, and 40 million people, including 16 million kids, won’t get the food they need to survive. Congress must fight to keep the poor and working families who they represent fed, housed, and healthy.”

As the shutdown approaches December, the risks to federal-assisted HUD and USDA tenants will increase. NHLP is tracking this closely. Check out our website for the most up-to-date resources for tenants, advocates, and organizers, including a new resource on defending against evictions and policy advocacy to curb evictions that may occur due to families’ food expenses caused by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lapse.