Research & Innovations

What PHAs Need to Know About the Shutdown

After unsuccessful negotiations between Congress and President Trump and the Senate’s failure to pass a House-passed continuing resolution, the federal government has shut down. Negotiations to reopen the government are unlikely to occur this week because House Republicans are out of town until October 7, and Congress will be out tomorrow for Yom Kippur. 

CLPHA will continue to operate and will update our members with any additional information from HUD and Congress regarding the shutdown and how it may affect PHA operations. If you have any issues accessing funding, please reach out to CLPHA. 

HUD’s 2025 Contingency Plan was published late on Tuesday night. Last week, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) also notified government agencies to prepare for mass firings if the government shuts down. 

CLPHA has been informed that public housing funding was loaded into the line of credit control system to disburse previously obligated funds for public housing operating subsidies and capital funds through November 2025. HAP and Admin Fee payments have been loaded for October and two weeks of November. We have also been informed that October shortfall payments have been scheduled.  

Office of Public and Indian Housing

• Essential functions for the processing funds for the voucher and public housing programs will continue operating.  
• The eLOCCS system for distributing previously obligated funds for public housing as well as eVMS for disbursing previously obligated section 8 tenant-based rental assistance will remain open. 
• A PHA may also request their HUD-held HAP reserves be disbursed in the event of an emergency situation where families are at risk of termination, or where PHAs cannot afford to make HAP payments to property owners.  
• Funding action that requires the assistance of HUD-staff, such as additional frontload requests, budget revisions for the EHV program, Mainstream vouchers, etc. will not be processed, except for tenant protection vouchers where there is an imminent threat to tenant lives or property.   
• HUD PIH staff will be recalled intermittently to review disbursement requests as necessary.  
• Staff will be recalled to conduct closings on Mixed Finance and Choice Neighborhoods transactions where the failure to close by a set date would threaten the property and demands immediate response (e.g., loss of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits and/or other critical financing commitments). 

Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD)

• CPD will continue to make previously obligated CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, Homeless Assistance Grants and other funds available for drawdown by CPD grantees.  
• Where further action or review by a HUD employee is required before a grantee may access previously obligated funds, CPD will recall employees intermittently to review and approve or deny disbursement requests as necessary.  
• Existing Technical Assistance and Capacity Building grants and cooperative agreement awards, where funds have been previously obligated and work plans have been approved, may continue performance.  
• Actions that require HUD staff review and approval, such as the review and approval of workplan amendments or the modification of workplans, will not take place during the shutdown. 

Office of Recapitalization

• Closings on Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversions where a RAD Conversion Commitment or a RAD Approval was issued will continue if the closing was scheduled prior to the shutdown.  
• RAD conversions where the failure to close or prepare to close would threaten the property and demand an immediate response (e.g. loss of tax credits) will continue. 

Regional and Field Offices

• All HUD regional and field offices and HUD Headquarters are closed.  

Inspections

• The REAC Technical Assistance Center (TAC) is available and operational, but responses requiring HUD staff review or approval may be delayed until the shutdown has ended.  
• Inspections will continue through the shutdown. 

CLPHA will continue to support members through this period of uncertainty and will continue to provide updates on developments from HUD and Congress related to the length of the government shutdown and funding for vital programs.

From the Denver Housing Authority's press release:

The Denver Housing Authority (DHA) and its strategic partners celebrated a major milestone in the transformation of Sun Valley on Thursday with the grand opening of Flo, a 212-unit building designed for adults 55 and older and individuals with disabilities. 

The ribbon cutting marked the completion of Phase 3 of DHA’s Sun Valley redevelopment and featured remarks from Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, City Councilwoman Jamie Torres, and representatives from the offices of U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, alongside DHA CEO Joaquín Cintrón Vega, project partners, and community members. 

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston highlighted the project’s impact on both housing and economic opportunities: “An affordable Denver is one where people of all age brackets, backgrounds, and incomes can live – and live well – within their budgets,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “Developments like Flo demonstrate that you can have high quality housing without paying high rent, and we will continue working tirelessly to create more opportunities like this one across Denver.” 

DHA Chief Executive Officer Joaquín Cintrón Vega reflected on the project’s deeper meaning for the neighborhood. “Honoring a community’s vision means listening with humility, acting with courage, and building with purpose,” said Joaquín Cintrón Vega, CEO at the Denver Housing Authority. “In fulfilling our promise to Sun Valley, we’ve created homes shaped by community voices, replacing outdated housing with vibrant, mixed-income neighborhoods. Flo stands as a symbol of that vision, offering 212 new homes for older adults and people with disabilities to live, connect, and thrive.” 

Councilwoman Jamie Torres (District 3) spoke about the sense of connection that defines Sun Valley “Walking through these units, I can see my own mom living here, she’s someone who gives gifts through food. That’s the spirit of households in Sun Valley,” said Torres. “Residents here are generous and love giving back to the community, because it’s those connections that make us feel grounded and part of something. We are excited to welcome all the residents we are bringing back.”  

About Flo and Sun Valley  

Flo is the seventh and final multifamily building in DHA’s Sun Valley redevelopment, completing the replacement of 333 outdated public housing units with 965 modern, mixed-income homes for households earning between 20%–100% of the area median income (AMI). 

• The first two buildings, Gateway North and Gateway South, opened in 2021; Thrive and GreenHaus opened in 2023. 
• In 2024–2025, Joli, Sol, and Flo opened to complete the housing portion of the redevelopment. 

Flo highlights: 

• 12-story high-rise with 212 one- and two-bedroom apartments (552–927 sq. ft.) 
• Designed for adults 55+ and non-senior individuals with disabilities 
• Rent (utilities included): 
• 1BR (202 units): $748 (30% AMI) – $1,497 (60% AMI) 
• 2BR (10 units): $897 (30% AMI) – $1,796 (60% AMI) 
• Amenities: 97 covered parking spaces (7 accessible); 11 EV charging stations; indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge with grills; community gathering room; tech lounge with coworking spaces; meeting room; community laundry; and more. 
• Steps from Decatur Fresh Market, the future Riverfront Park, and a new food incubator. 

The Sun Valley Redevelopment is made possible through a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant awarded by HUD in 2016 as well as over $60 million through the DHA Delivers for Denver (D3) bond program with the City of Denver, which DHA has leveraged into over $500 million in new development.   

With the completion of Phase 3, DHA will have replaced the 333-unit former Sun Valley Homes public housing with: 

• Seven new multifamily buildings serving 965 households earning between 20%-100% of the area median income (AMI).  
• Critical community investments such as the Decatur Fresh Market and a Grow Garden to provide healthy food options in the Sun Valley neighborhood.  
• Significant infrastructure improvements to enhance mobility, accessibility, and connectivity throughout Sun Valley.  

Additionally, DHA and the City and County of Denver are developing Sun Valley Riverfront Park, an 11-acre recreational space to support the broader vision to revitalize the South Platte River as a community hub. The first 5.5 acres of the park will be under construction in 2026. 

From the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and Kershaw’s Challenge, proudly unveiled Dodgers Dreamfield 68 at Nickerson Gardens on Saturday, Sept. 20, at 10:30 a.m. The largest public housing community west of the Mississippi River is now home to the third Dodgers Dreamfield built at a public housing site.

The ceremony, emceed by Dodgers Spanish Broadcaster José Mota, included the national anthem and remarks from LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman, project sponsors, and elected officials. Special guest Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips also took part in the celebration. In addition to HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge, Dodgers Dreamfield 68 was completed with the generous support of Bank of America, LA84 Foundation, Security Benefit, Leo and Carolina Cammilleri Family Foundation, Helen and Roger Ma,  Mickey and Lee Segal Family Foundation, and the Parra-Matthews Family. Following the unveiling, local youth took the field for a skills clinic led by the Dodgers Training Academy.

“With the opening of Dodgers Dreamfield 68, the youth of Watts now have a point of pride to call their own,” said Nichol Whiteman, CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “Too often, these children grow up without safe environments to play, learn and grow. Together with HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge, we’re eliminating those barriers and ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.”

"Well-designed community spaces strengthen human connections," said Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, President & CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. "We are thrilled to unveil this new Dodger Dreamfield at Nickerson Gardens, made possible by a strong partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and Kershaw’s Challenge. Thanks for partnering with HACLA to create space for neighbors, children, and families to play, learn, interact and build connections for generations to come."

The historic 1954 housing development is currently undergoing a revitalization to improve residents' quality of life. With the help of its partners, LADF’s $1.1 million investment advances HACLA’s broader site improvements, which include plans for a small synthetic turf football field and enhancements to green spaces, recreational areas, and hardscape features surrounding the youth baseball and softball field.

Dodgers Dreamfield 68 will help reenergize the community’s baseball and softball programming for youth ages 5-12. Located in one of Los Angeles’ most historically impoverished neighborhoods, despite falling crime rates since the 1990s, the field eliminates common barriers to access by offering a free, high-quality space to gather and play. Upgrades include irrigation, playing surfaces, fencing, and a solar scoreboard reminiscent of those at Dodger Stadium.

The Nickerson Gardens Dodgers Dreamfield further positions LADF to complete 75 Dodgers Dreamfields by 2033 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles in 1958. In alignment with one of its strategic priorities of building infrastructure for sustained impact to create lasting impact for Los Angeles, LADF builds and refurbishes baseball and softball fields in underserved communities through the Dodgers Dreamfields program. Since 2003, LADF has invested over $20 million to renovate 68 Dodgers Dreamfields. Over 1.8 million youth and families have access to these safe havens and points of pride.