CALIFORNIA – Social media posts claim that President Donald Trump has set a two-year limit on Section 8 housing assistance.
The draft FY 2026 proposal would cut $26.7 billion from federal assistance programs, including tenant-based rental assistance, public housing, project-based rental assistance, housing for the elderly, and housing for persons with disabilities.
In California, over 920,000 residents receive some form of rental assistance, which caps rent at 30% of household income.
These social media posts are unverified, and no official tenant notifications have been issued.
Key elements of the proposal include:
- A two-year cap on rental assistance for able-bodied adults.
- Ensuring the majority of funding goes to elderly and disabled recipients.
- Incentivizing states and the private sector to provide affordable housing, coupled with initiatives to open federal lands.
- Encouraging states to share funding responsibilities to maintain similar levels of benefits for recipients under the block grant system.
The proposed budget must be approved by Congress, which is on summer break until Sept. 2. Congress has until Sept. 30 to finalize a funding bill.
California is speeding up affordable housing development
Amid proposed federal Section 8 cuts, California is moving to speed up the development of affordable housing.
AB 130 and SB 131 streamline environmental reviews and accelerate approval for infill and residential projects that include affordable units, targeting faster development for low- and moderate-income households.
In addition, the California FY 2025-26 budget restores funding to key programs like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which is estimated to finance 527,700 additional affordable rental homes between 2026 and 2035.
