Tell Trump & HUD: “Housing Saves Lives.”
Yesterday morning, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published their new anti-trans shelter rule, which would eliminate protections for transgender people accessing HUD-funded services.
Today, the public comment period on this rule begins. This is your chance to make your voice heard and help prevent this dangerous rule change from taking effect.
What does this rule change mean?
Currently, homeless shelters are expressly directed to accept trans people based on their authentic gender. The proposed roll-back would open the door to taxpayer-funded discrimination against the people in our communities who are at the greatest risk of violence and discrimination. The Equal Access Rule’s protections against discrimination are critical to ensure safe access to shelter for transgender people experiencing homelessness, survivors of violence, and fleeing disasters.
What can we do about it?
The comment period on this proposal will run through September 22, giving us exactly 60 days to submit comments from as many people as possible.
HUD is legally required to write a response to each unique comment before they can implement a Final Rule, meaning that the more comments they receive, the longer it will take them to put this dangerous and discriminatory rule into effect.
Our Housing Saves Lives website features a live “comment portal” where anyone can submit a public comment directly to HUD on this rule.
We’ll provide talking points and question prompts to make it easy. All you have to do is share your thoughts on why nondiscrimination protections for trans people experiencing homelessness are important!