Federal safety net programs are intended to protect the most vulnerable Americans—such as the elderly, people with severe disabilities, and young children—and stabilize those who have fallen on hard times and help them move to solid ground.

Housing assistance plays a critical role in the safety net, aiming to ensure families who receive assistance have decent, safe, and affordable housing. But unlike other safety net programs, housing assistance is not an entitlement, which means it does not provide benefits to all who are deemed eligible. Available assistance falls short of the need: only one in five renter households who qualify for public housing or Housing Choice Vouchers receive the help they need.

Our new report shows that recent proposals, including the administration’s proposed fiscal year 2018 budget, threaten deep cuts and significant changes to our limited supply of housing assistance. Even families who have received assistance could face housing instability and increased rents.

Read the full article about expanding access to housing assistance by Corianne Scally, Samantha Batko, and Susan J. Popkin at Urban Institute.