Judge orders Trump admin to release hundreds of millions in NYC housing, transit funds

GOTHAMIST —A federal judge this week ordered the Trump administration to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in housing and transportation funds for New York City that were being withheld until the recipients agreed to conditions prohibiting “gender ideology,” diversity initiatives or sanctuary immigration policies.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation held up the previously approved grants for low-income housing operators, homeless service providers and local transit projects unless they agreed to the new terms, as Gothamist first reported in March.

Last month, New York City joined seven other cities and counties in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the revised terms, which the federal agencies based on a series of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year. An additional 23 cities and counties joined the lawsuit last month.

… 

She added: “This means that organizations that depend on these grants to house domestic violence survivors and other vulnerable populations can continue providing these life-saving services.”

Supportive Housing Network of New York Executive Director Pascale Leone called the ruling “a victory for some of New York’s most vulnerable residents.”

Read the full article here.