How did the 2013 and 2018 federal government shutdowns affect Section 8 voucher payments and evictions?
Executive summary
During both the 2013 (16-day) and 2018–19 (35-day/43-day iterations in reporting) federal shutdown episodes, HUD and local housing authorities sought to continue Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher payments using previously obligated funds and agency reserves, but payment delays, paused contract renewals, and threats to future vouchers raised eviction risks if shutdowns dragged on beyond months (examples: delayed HAP payments in Oct 2013; HUD committed funds through autumn 2018–19 but warned of running out thereafter) [1] [2] [3] [4]. Local housing authorities and legal advisers repeatedly told landlords they could not legally evict tenants for federal payment delays, even as some agencies warned they might make partial or prorated payments if funds ran short [5] [6] [7].
1. How HUD tried to keep checks flowing — contingency plans and previously obligated funds
HUD’s playbook during shutdowns has been to draw on previously obligated funds and contingency measures so monthly Section 8 housing assistance payments continue “for the short term.” Reporting on the 2018–19 shutdown and later shutdown planning shows HUD intended to issue payments through the immediate months after a funding lapse, and HUD contingency plans emphasize making payments under existing contracts while financial offices evaluate sufficiency of funds [6] [8] [9]. Local PHAs across several jurisdictions confirmed that payments continued “for now,” reflecting that previously allocated funds can bridge short shutdowns [10] [11].
2. Real-world delays: examples from 2013 and later shutdowns
Local housing authorities documented concrete delays in 2013: housing-assistance payments (HAP) were reported delayed for jurisdictions including Glendale, CA, Guam, San Francisco, and Los Angeles warned reserves could be exhausted by year-end during the October 2013 lapse [1]. Later shutdowns produced similar operational disruptions: large housing authorities reported delayed distributions or administrative slowdowns after prolonged closures, including December payment delays reported by NYCHA following the 43‑day shutdown and other PHAs issuing partial or prorated payments when HUD funds were late [12] [5].
3. Eviction risk: legal limits and practical pressures on landlords
Federal law and HUD guidance consistently state landlords may not evict or charge tenants for the government’s portion of rent when HAP payments are delayed, and tenants remain responsible only for their share [5] [6] [13]. Nevertheless, agencies and housing advocates warned that if a shutdown persists for months, housing authorities could exhaust reserves and stop renewing contracts — a dynamic that could indirectly increase eviction risk if landlords lose confidence in voucher payments or if contracts actually lapse [11] [4] [3]. Local reporting from New York and Vermont shows agencies warned of vouchers becoming “unfunded” or paused issuance when reserves were exhausted [14] [12].
4. The middle ground: short shutdowns versus prolonged closures
The difference between a few days and multiple weeks is decisive. In short shutdowns, HUD’s previously obligated funds and PHAs’ reserves have historically covered payments; in 2013 examples, delays happened but broad systemic failure did not immediately follow [1] [3]. In prolonged shutdowns — such as the late‑2018 to early‑2019 impasse and the 43‑day shut down referenced in reporting — contract expirations, paused renewals, and depleted reserves produced missed or delayed payments and paused new vouchers, amplifying housing instability [2] [4] [12].
5. Who bore the cost and what actions agencies advised
HUD and legal groups encouraged landlords to use reserves to bridge shortfalls and advised tenants to keep paying their portion of rent and seek legal help if they received eviction notices linked to federal payment delays [6] [13] [7]. Some PHAs explicitly warned of partial, prorated payments and pledged to reimburse landlords once HUD released funds; others paused issuance of new vouchers or waitlist activity to protect existing beneficiaries [5] [12] [15].
6. What the sources don’t say or leave uncertain
Available sources do not mention precise nationwide counts of eviction filings directly caused by those specific 2013 or 2018–19 HUD payment delays; they also do not provide a comprehensive national tally of how many vouchers temporarily went “unfunded” during those exact shutdown windows (not found in current reporting). Sources provide repeated local examples and policy guidance but stop short of a full, audited national impact study [1] [11] [12].
Bottom line: shutdowns have not instantaneously terminated Section 8 payments thanks to prior obligations and PHA reserves, but they have produced real payment delays, paused contract renewals, and the credible prospect that a long shutdown would force PHAs or landlords to cover shortfalls — a situation that increases eviction risk indirectly even if federal law bars immediate evictions for delayed HAP payments [6] [1] [4] [5].