It’s been two months since county joined a housing-related lawsuit against federal government. Here’s what’s happening so far

Legal proceedings are still ongoing for a lawsuit that Snohomish County is a part of, regarding funds that impact homeless housing systems.

The lawsuit challenges conditions placed on funding for two federal grants: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC), and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

The Trump Administration’s conditions include compliance with executive orders related to immigration status and health care, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers wrote in a statement in May that the lawsuit alleges the federal administration is “violating the doctrine of separation of powers, infringing upon constitutional protections.”

The county is among eight jurisdictions that are a part of the lawsuit filed in May in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The full lawsuit can be found online here.

Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bridget Casey at the county’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Office told the My Neighborhood News Network that a U.S. District Court judge granted a preliminary injunction in June, preventing the DOT and HUD from imposing the conditions or withholding grant funds as legal proceedings continue. 

Casey added that the federal government has since appealed. The plaintiffs also amended their complaint, and they are requesting a preliminary injunction on conditions to other HUD and Department of Health and Human Services grant funding. 

The CoC’s funding program year started July 1. The county received $16.7 million. The county does not receive DOT grant funding.   

CoC funding assists services such as permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities, and transitional housing and help for young adults and domestic violence survivors, among other services.

“CoC funding has been instrumental in helping reduce homelessness in our community, and those funds have supported that work since 1994,” Somers wrote in the statement.

“A loss of this magnitude would create devastating gaps in services. We would expect to see a rapid and significant increase in homelessness, potentially doubling the number of people who are living unhoused in Snohomish County,” he added.

Casey said the Snohomish County Human Services Department continues to coordinate with local organizations that offer homeless housing services and receive CoC funding, and that “the County is grateful for their continued partnership.”

Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.