(Radio Iowa) – The nonprofit that runs statewide homelessness assistance programs is expecting significant funding gaps due to the federal government shutdown and the Trump administration’s shift in housing priorities. Courtney Guntly, director of the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care, says the agency is running out of the time to figure out if it will receive enough funding to cover the cost of programs. Guntly says more delays in the application process could affect services.

“The state is just not in a place that they would be able to fill in that gap if federal funding does significantly change or is significantly reduced,” she says. Guntly says she hasn’t received any information on how to apply for federal funding in months. Guntly says the leaders of some programs in Black Hawk County are concerned they won’t receive new funds in time before their current funds run out. “These projects are going to lose their funding to be able to provide rental assistance, which means that those projects will no longer be operational,” she says.

The agency disperses more than eight-million dollars to fund homelessness assistance programs across Iowa.