The four walls of her home are a direct result of the emergency housing voucher (EHV) program, a federal initiative providing rental assistance to approximately 60,000 families and individuals who have experienced homelessness or domestic violence. Espinal herself has endured both.
However, her sense of security is now severely threatened. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports that the program's USD 5 billion funding is projected to be depleted by the end of 2025. This imminent shortfall jeopardizes the housing stability of tens of thousands across the US, who face the prospect of being unable to afford their rent.
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Daniris Espinal walks in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York, April. *Photo: AP* |
Experts warn that this potential defunding could represent one of the most significant housing subsidy cuts in US history. Sonya Acosta, a specialist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, expresses concern that discontinuing the program would unravel the stability many, including Espinal, have painstakingly established.
Launched in 2021 amid the pandemic, the EHV program was initially envisioned to extend through the end of the decade. However, soaring rental prices have depleted the USD 5 billion fund more rapidly than projected. Without additional congressional appropriation, approximately 60,000 households risk losing this critical financial support.
This funding crisis unfolds amidst an escalating housing crisis in the US. January 2024 saw the nation report a record high of over 770,000 homeless individuals. The discontinuation of EHV would disproportionately impact states with fragile social safety nets, such as Mississippi, Louisiana, and Wisconsin.
For Daniris Espinal, the EHV is more than a mere voucher; it has been a lifeline, pulling her and her children from a desperate situation.
Four years ago, Espinal endured a marriage where her husband exerted control over every aspect of her life, from social interactions to daily errands. She experienced isolation, postpartum depression, and a profound sense of disorientation. In early 2021, her husband demanded she quit her job, subsequently claiming USD 12,000 in overdue rent. By 2022, police reports facilitated a court decision granting her full custody of her children.
Leaving the marriage with nothing, burdened by old rental debt, and responsible for two daughters (4 and 19 years old), Espinal found herself at a precipice. The EHV voucher arrived at a critical moment, enabling her to settle her debts and secure a three-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn for over USD 3,000 per month in 2023.
“The voucher didn't just give me a place to live,” she stated. “It restored my self-worth and peace of mind.”
Now, with the end-of-2025 deadline looming, her past anxieties resurface. Without the subsidy, the USD 3,000 monthly rent is an insurmountable sum. Espinal has begun to meticulously save every penny, preparing for the worst-case scenario.
“That is the greatest fear of my life right now,” she confessed.
Ngoc Ngan (AP)
