A federal appeals court rejected the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's attempt to restrict homelessness assistance grant funding, protecting roughly $4. 9 million that Pierce County receives annually through the Continuum of Care program.
Pierce County uses that funding primarily for Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing — programs that help residents transition out of homelessness into stable living situations. Washington State receives about $120 million in these grants each year, with Pierce County among the five counties identified as having the greatest need for housing services.
The Washington State Office of the Attorney General announced the ruling. Attorney General Nick Brown co-led a multistate coalition that sued HUD last November after the agency abruptly changed its CoC program rules, cutting available grant funds and adding conditions critics said were unlawful — including requiring applicants to sign statements under penalty of perjury and subjecting them to the False Claims Act.
Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello praised the decision. "This court ruling is a major victory for our community," Mello said in a statement. "Without it, unlawful federal overreach would have dismantled decades of progress."
The ruling means Pierce County can continue distributing CoC funds without the new restrictions while legal proceedings continue.