As the previous shutdown lingered, officials worried what running out of money could mean for 1.1 million low-income households.
The 35-day government shutdown wreaked havoc on millions of Americans lives and livelihoods as fewer food inspections took place, parks went uncleaned, museums shut their doors, airport lines grew longer, and whole agencies ground to a halt. The experience was especially distressing for those who depend on the federal government for their basic needs, including food and shelter.
The Farragut Houses, a public housing project in Brooklyn, New York. The 35-day government shutdown was especially distressing for those who depend on the federal government for their basic needs, including food and shelter. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Thousands of furloughed employees—many living paycheck to paycheck—found themselves in line for free meals at pop-up kitchens and food pantries.
Recipients of SNAP assistance worried whether their monthly benefits would end.
And contractors with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and their tenants agonized over what a shutdown meant for them.
“We work really, really hard to have good relationships with local landlords. And if there’s the slightest hint that they won’t get their subsidy payments as promised, it erodes trust,” said Kurt Wiest, executive director of the Bremerton Housing Authority in Washington state. “And this program operates on trust.”............Read More
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