Emergency Housing Voucher Program Nears End, Threatening to Worsen Pennsylvania’s Homelessness Crisis
Since spring 2021, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has provided 60,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) nationwide, including 1,507 in Pennsylvania, to help individuals and families in dire need of shelter. But that lifeline is coming to an end—and housing advocates warn the consequences could be severe, especially in states already battling affordable housing shortages like Pennsylvania and Wyoming.
A Band-Aid Solution for a Growing Crisis
Even with HUD’s conservative estimates, a single-night count in January 2021 identified nearly 10 times the number of people in need compared to the 1,507 EHVs allocated to Pennsylvania. While the vouchers provided temporary relief, the homelessness crisis has only deepened. For example, Bucks County alone could use nearly one-third of those vouchers to house the 511 residents experiencing homelessness this year—but that help isn’t coming.
The original EHV funds prioritized urban areas with large visible homeless populations and were restricted to survivors of domestic or sexual violence, human trafficking, or those facing chronic homelessness. While such conditions certainly exist in rural and suburban counties, including in parts of Wyoming and Pennsylvania, many affected individuals didn’t meet the narrow eligibility criteria.
Expiring Funds, Escalating Rents
Unlike traditional housing assistance, EHVs came with a sunset clause. Once a recipient no longer needed help, the voucher wasn’t recycled—it simply disappeared. And now, the entire program is drying up. The funding, initially intended to last 10 years, won’t even stretch to five, largely due to surging rental costs. In Bucks County, for example, a single-bedroom apartment now averages nearly $2,000 per month—an increase of 32.5% since 2022.
Similar housing cost pressures have also impacted communities in Wyoming, where rising rent and stagnant wages create a growing gap between housing need and availability.
Local Authorities Sound the Alarm
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with a population density six times that of Bucks County, received 25 EHVs. According to Leah Eppinger, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Dauphin County, 21 of those vouchers have been used, but it’s unclear whether the remaining three will lead to housing.
Last month, HUD sent a letter to housing agencies across the country, warning that funds will likely run out by 2025—or 2026 at the latest. The agency instructed administrators not to sign or renew EHV leases because funds likely won’t be available to support them long-term.
Under the current system, vouchers cover a portion of rent based on the recipient’s income. Once a lease is signed, housing authorities are contractually obligated to pay their share. However, if the funding runs out, tenants could face eviction unless they can cover the full rent—an unlikely outcome for people already in crisis.
Support for Victims of Violence Remains Uncertain
The end of the EHV program could be especially devastating for survivors of violence. While other assistance programs may provide some support, the loss of dedicated EHV funding adds another layer of instability.
Kimberly Hollenback, a supervising attorney at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, urges survivors to seek help, noting that resources like the Pennsylvania Victims Compensation Program can offer up to $1,000 in assistance for moving and other expenses.
Legislative Hurdles and Hope
State Representative Lisa Borowski of Delaware County has proposed bills to ease housing burdens for domestic violence survivors, including allowing them to break leases without penalty and waiving fees for replacing vital documents. Though the bills passed the Pennsylvania House, they stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. Borowski has reintroduced the legislation but remains uncertain about its future amid federal cuts.
“The state recognizes the need,” Borowski said. “But we don’t have the resources to fully replace lost federal funding.”
This dilemma isn’t unique to Pennsylvania. In Wyoming and across the country, housing authorities are grappling with similar shortfalls, trying to stretch dwindling funds to cover an ever-growing list of needs.
Looking Ahead: A Race Against Time
In Dauphin County, Eppinger is exploring ways to transition EHV recipients into the traditional Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to avoid sudden homelessness. But the waitlist is already long—with more than 1,000 families waiting, and another 3,500 turned away.
“The goal is to preserve housing for the 21 people already placed,” Eppinger said. “But even if we convert them to HCVs, that just adds to the growing backlog.”
In nearby public housing programs, like those in Wyoming and across rural Pennsylvania, the wait can stretch into years—with no guarantee of ever receiving support.
As the EHV program winds down, thousands of vulnerable Americans are left in limbo, uncertain whether they’ll have a roof over their heads next month—let alone next year.
