Imagine facing cancer with no home to recover in. Imagine raising a child with special needs while juggling multiple jobs and still not making enough to afford rent. These aren’t rare stories—they’re the reality for tens of thousands in our community.
In Western New York, over 49,000 people rely on federally subsidized housing to keep a safe roof over their heads. Programs like Housing Choice Vouchers (also known as Section 8) and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) don’t just help people find shelter—they offer the stability needed to stay healthy, raise families, and live with dignity.
But these programs are now at risk. The President’s latest budget proposal includes deep cuts to housing programs, threatening the very lifeline that keeps our most vulnerable neighbors from falling through the cracks.
What Is Permanent Supportive Housing?
Permanent Supportive Housing provides more than just affordable rent. It combines long-term housing assistance with case management and wrap-around support. Every tenant has a disability—physical, mental, or emotional—that makes independent living difficult without help.
Without PSH, people like:
- A neighbor with a traumatic brain injury who forgets to pay rent
- An older adult who can’t manage medical appointments or finances after losing a spouse
- A mom trying to care for her child with disabilities while working minimum wage
…would be at serious risk of homelessness.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
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- 1-bedroom rents in Buffalo jumped 40% between 2020-2024.
- SSI (income for those with a diagnosed disability that cannot work) has risen just 23% in that same time.
- Nearly half of people experiencing homelessness in WNY in 2023 reported having at least one disability.
A Neighbor Named Violet
Violet started working with a homeless street outreach team in 2021. She had untreated schizophrenia, was experiencing homelessness, and battling aggressive cancer. Without a phone or address, she couldn’t even schedule transportation to medical appointments. She was battling cancer while living alone on the street.
Through months of working with her homeless outreach case manager, Violet secured a home in a federally subsidized housing unit. With a warm bed and coordinated care, Violet had surgery and recovered. While Violet passed away recently, she spent her final years with dignity. She passed away in a home that was hers.
That’s what these programs do. They save lives.
Why It Matters to All of Us
Buffalo is known as the City of Good Neighbors—and that spirit undoubtedly carries across Western New York. These housing programs aren’t handouts—they’re lifelines. They reflect who we are as a community.
No one is immune from hardship. One job loss, illness, or accident can change everything. That’s why we must protect programs like PSH and long-term housing vouchers—because being a good neighbor means showing up for each other, especially when it matters most.