Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has officially called upon the Trump Administration to halt its plan for a federal funding freeze.
“These actions adversely affect not only the City’s funding for affordable housing, assistance for our unsheltered residents, economic development projects, salaries and investments in our infrastructure and public safety—they also affect partner agencies like Atlanta Housing, Partners for HOME and other organizations who currently cannot access the portals they use to pay
people’s rents, operational costs or fund economic programs; in turn placing an even heavier burden on the communities we collectively serve,” wrote Dickens, as reported by WSB-TV.Dickens released the statement before a federal judge temporarily blocked the freeze, which was supposed to start at 5 p.m. on Jan. 28. However, with the federal judge’s rulings, it remains at a standstill until Monday.
The news of the federal freeze sent agencies and
administrations nationwide into a frenzy. Many have expressed concern on how the pause would directly impact their operations. Trump officials had to confirm programs like food stamps, Medicare, and student loans were not affected.The Trump administration launched the freeze to review the “progressive initiatives” that currently receive funding, with plans for removal.
Dickens noted how their governments did not know of the freeze ahead of time. A lack of knowledge continues to fuels uncertainty for many families in Georgia and beyond.
“More than 18,000 residents who rely on housing vouchers currently do not know how their rent will be paid next month, and workers across various federally funded programs risk losing their pay,” Dickens said. “The Dickens administration calls on all White House decision makers to immediately restore this funding for Atlanta and the entire region—and the families from all stations of life who will suffer the consequences.”
After the federal stay lifts on Feb. 3, the Trump administration has remained adamant on proceeding with the freeze while still not clarifying what will stop payouts.
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