ST. MARY PARISH — The White House Budget Office announced a pause on all federal grants and loan disbursements across the United States Tuesday, raising concerns for communities that rely on such funding. In St. Mary Parish, local residents worried about the potential impact the decision could've have, particularly those who depend on federal assistance programs like Section 8 housing.
Gregory Leco, a resident of Sugar Ridge Village, an apartment complex offering Section 8 housing, voiced his concerns about the freeze. “How could they go ahead and freeze something like this, knowing that they’ve got all these people in the world that live on this and count on this?” Leco, who previously lived with friends and neighbors before securing housing, explained how critical this funding is for him. “I live on Section 8, and I’m barely making it as is,” he said.
Angela Karemer, Assistant Director of Section 8 Housing for St. Mary Parish, shared more insight into how the decision could have affected local residents. “We have close to 200 families that we pay rent for on behalf of, who will now be responsible for the full portion of their rent,” Karemer said.
Paul Governale, Chief Administrative Officer for St. Mary Parish, discussed the broader context of the federal decision. After reviewing a memorandum from the White House, he expressed his understanding of the reasoning behind the pause. “It appears to me that what the federal government is trying to do is look at where the federal dollars are being spent. Any pause or delay on revenues are going to have an impact on the parish,” Governale noted.
Although the pause on federal funding was announced this week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration's decision on Tuesday afternoon, just before it was set to go into effect. Nevertheless, concerns remain for residents like Joseph Pope, a disabled resident living in Section 8 housing. He expressed anxiety about the long-term effects of the possibility of the pause. “It’s hard to make up the difference because my account is nothing… nothing good, everything’s coming down, nothing’s coming,” Pope said.
Jim Firman, Administrator of the Section 8 Program for St. Mary Parish, emphasized the challenges faced by disadvantaged communities, particularly in times of uncertainty. “It’s just one of the ups and downs that people who are disadvantaged have to deal with, and it’s unfortunate that it’s coming from the top,” Firman said.
Officials from the Trump administration stated that programs offering direct assistance to Americans, including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, student loans, and food stamps, would remain unaffected.
