Lincoln housing agency believes a nationwide crises is on the horizon if government isn’t reopened soon

The longest U.S. government shutdown in history has now reached day 28, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.

Local housing agencies are growing more concerned that federal funding for crucial programs will run out if the government isn’t reopened soon.

Lincoln Housing Authority provides for 4,500 families across the city.

“If this goes into March and payments don’t go out across the country for the Section 8 Voucher Program, there are millions of families whose housing situation would be at risk. I think a lot of agencies wouldn’t be able to make those payments,” said Chris Lamberty, Executive Director of Lincoln Housing Authority.

The Section 8 Housing Voucher Program gives rental assistance to 3,000 Lincoln families. It’s through the department of housing and urban development, HUD for short.

It gives monthly federal funding for the housing in Lincoln, $1.2 million to be exact.

Lincoln Housing Authority says they do have payments for January and February.

But as far as the month of March and beyond? Lamberty thinks securing funds to pay 900 local landlords will be extremely difficult.

“In Lincoln we’ve made contingency plans so that we are going to make payments even if the federal government doesn’t this coming March so that our families are secure,” said Lamberty.

Lamberty says if the shutdown continues into March, he says it will be a nation wide housing crises affecting millions of families.

“Just the fact that we are having this conversation is kind of ridiculous. I encourage people to contact their congressional representatives in Nebraska, even the white house, even other congressional representatives. Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell and others, encourage them to do their job and end the shutdown,” said Lamberty.