2025 NOFO Communications Toolkit

This hub provides Built for Zero communities with clear, credible tools to navigate the FY2025 NOFO, communicate local impacts, and protect progress toward reducing homelessness.

Please contact comms@community.solutions with any questions.

Key Messages

Take Action

Template Press Release

Resources

Editable Graphics

Social Media Toolkit

Key Messages/Talking Points

Core Message

“Keeping Americans safely housed matters more than bureaucratic timelines.”
Housing instability at this scale endangers individuals, undermines local economies, and deepens the national housing shortage.
Congress has a clear path to prevent these harms by authorizing a temporary renewal of all CoC grants.

The Stakes: A National Affordability Crisis

The country faces a shortage of more than 4 million homes, while millions of families pay over half their income on housing.
In this environment, preserving stable housing is not optional; it is essential for protecting individuals, communities, and local economies.
Rising homelessness and soaring rental costs mean policy choices must strengthen housing security, not undermine it.

Why the HUD NOFO Poses Serious Risks

HUD’s latest Notice of Funding Opportunity puts rental support for more than 170,000 people at risk in 2026.
Those affected include seniors, people with disabilities, and Veterans — individuals who have already overcome homelessness.
The withdrawal of assistance would:
- Force tens of thousands back into homelessness.
  Disrupt local business districts, strain hospitals, and increase burdens on emergency and public services.
- Remove nearly $2 billion in reliable rental payments from local economies, harming small mom-and-pop landlords who depend on consistent rent to cover mortgages and taxes.

Economic & Community Impact

More than 170,000 affordable homes could suddenly become unaffordable for people on fixed incomes.
Communities would face cascading effects:
- Increased shelter demand and street homelessness.
- Higher costs for local governments and health systems.
- Disruptions in downtown commerce and community well-being.

What Community Solutions is Calling For

1. Immediate Congressional Action

Congress should direct HUD to renew all Continuum of Care (CoC) grants expiring in 2026 for a full 12 months, as authorized in FY24.
This renewal would:
- Preserve current housing for tens of thousands of Americans.
- Create time to assess the policy changes and prevent unintended harm.
- Protect local economies from the abrupt loss of rental support.

2. Federal Policy That Reflects Reality and is focused on outcomes

Communities need flexible, practical tools that:
- Allow them to preserve existing homes for people struggling with rising housing costs.
- Help them prevent returns to homelessness rather than respond after the fact.
We support reform, but reform should be outcomes-focused — keeping people housed and reducing homelessness — not driven by bureaucratic deadlines.

HUD Rescinds the NOFO: What Now?

The Department for Housing and Urban Development just rescinded the 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO), which put rental support for more than 170,000 households at risk.
Unfortunately, this does nothing to keep everyday Americans — seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans, many of whom have already exited homelessness — in their homes.
Communities will see lapses in funding starting as soon as January. The HUD rescission doesn’t change that.
As bureaucratic timelines drag out, too many people in communities nationwide are anxiously wondering whether they’ll be able to afford rent next month, or whether they’ll be kicked to the literal curb.
We need measures that preserve and expand the stable housing options. This forced contraction of the housing market makes the nationwide housing shortage that much worse.
The only timely solution is for Congress to pass legislation that extends CoC funding for 12 months and gives time for thoughtful, outcomes-oriented reform.
HUD was going to have to withdraw the NOFO in order for Congress to act. The window is closing, but the path is clear. Congress should pass a full renewal of funding in the next week to ensure passage before the legislature

Take Action

HUD may address the funding gap when it issues a revised NOFO, and Congress can also direct HUD to maintain CoC funding through the FY25 appropriations process. Right now, the priority is educating the members of the House and Senate THUD Appropriations Subcommittees about the impact of funding cuts to existing CoC-funded housing and services.

If you are calling Congress, here are the talking points you should have on hand.

Template Press Release

Access the template here

[Local BFZ community] raises concerns over HUD’s new homelessness funding rules, urges a path that protects housing stability and supports real solutions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[City/County], [State] — [Date] — Leaders in [Community/CoC Name] are raising serious concerns about the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which threatens rental support for more than 170,000 people nationwide who rely on permanent housing to stay stable at a time when the country faces a severe shortage of affordable homes.

Local leaders are urging Congress to renew all existing Continuum of Care contracts for twelve months — a previously authorized step that would prevent disruption, allow time to evaluate the proposed policy changes, and help communities protect housing stability.

“This is not the time to reduce housing or threaten stability for people who rely on it,” said [Local Leader], [Title] for [Organization]. “Reform must be judged by real outcomes: fewer people experiencing homelessness, safer public spaces, and better long-term stability. And any shift must confront the real issue: people have nowhere to move when affordable homes are scarce and rental support becomes temporary.”

Key concerns for [Community/CoC Name]

Immediate risk of housing loss. Because the NOFO was released late in the year, new awards may not be available until August 2026. Communities will begin running out of funds as early as January, putting as many as 170,000 people — including seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities — at risk of losing stable housing and services. With affordable homes already scarce, making rental support temporary would push many back into homelessness.
A harmful funding shift. The NOFO redirects funding without addressing the core problem: the nation is short millions of affordable homes. Limiting permanent housing resources ignores extensive evidence that stable housing reduces homelessness and strengthens long-term outcomes.
Negative impacts on public safety and crisis systems. Permanent housing reduces arrests, emergency health care use, and pressure on law enforcement. Restricting it could increase unsheltered homelessness and worsen outcomes for people in crisis.
Funding gaps that communities cannot bridge locally. The NOFO’s emphasis on transitional housing cannot fill the gap quickly. New units take 12–18 months to bring online, leaving an immediate shortage of options in an already tight housing market.
Threats to the existing affordable housing supply. Many permanent housing programs depend on layered financing. Sudden rule changes could destabilize these properties, affecting small landlords and risking local affordable housing stock.

What [Community/CoC Name] is calling for

1. A one-year Congressional renewal of all CoC grants expiring in 2026.
A straightforward step to protect housing stability while policymakers address needed reforms.

2. Outcome-based reforms that focus on reducing homelessness.
Policy should prioritize reductions in homelessness, stronger public-space conditions, and long-term stability.

3. Local flexibility to design the right mix of housing and services.
Communities need the ability to pair housing with treatment and tailor programs to local conditions, especially during a housing shortage.

Why it matters for [Community/CoC Name]

Over the past [X] years, the community has invested in coordinated, data-driven work through Built for Zero to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. [Brief local example: recent reductions, milestones, system improvements.]

Sudden shifts in federal housing support put this progress at risk by destabilizing existing homes, interrupting services, and straining partnerships that took years to build.

“Our job is to keep people safe and housed,” said [Second Local Leader].“We need federal partners who support what works: increasing housing supply, connecting people to treatment, and giving local providers the flexibility to deliver results. Temporary rental assistance in a market with no affordable homes is not a viable path.”

About [Community/CoC Name]

[Two–three sentences describing the local BFZ community, mission, scale of work, and any functional zero milestones or progress.]

Media Contact

[Name]
[Organization]
[Email]
[Phone]