Providence, RI — Providence Housing Authority Commissioner Toni Akin is publicly voicing strong opposition to the proposed 2026 federal cuts that would reduce HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) funding by more than half. Commissioner Akin has communicated these concerns directly to HUD Secretary Scott Turner.
Commissioner Akin warns that the proposal would shift resources away from permanent housing solutions and back toward transitional models that have historically been less effective. “As someone who spent a third of my life living in a housing development and once faced homelessness myself, I know firsthand how critical permanent housing is,” Akin said. “Cuts of this magnitude will increase homelessness, not reduce it.”
Akin noted that the proposal ignores current economic pressures: rising energy costs, a growing renter population, severe housing shortages, and the limited impact of ADUs as a scalable solution. “In this environment, cutting CoC funding by half is not just ill timed—it is reckless,” she stated.
She also pointed to HUD’s own data indicating that more than 170,000 Americans could be placed at greater risk of homelessness if the cuts proceed. “HUD’s website says ‘Helping Americans.’ These cuts would do the opposite.”
Commissioner Akin has requested a meeting with Secretary Turner to discuss a more balanced approach. “Reform is always necessary, but sweeping cuts in our increasingly K shaped economy—where the most vulnerable are already falling behind—will cause far more harm than good,” she said. “Housing has always been a non partisan matter. We should be strengthening the programs that keep all Americans safely and securely housed, not weakening them.”