Funding is running out sooner than expected for a federal program providing rental assistance for families fleeing domestic violence or in danger of becoming homeless.

The Emergency Housing Voucher, or EHV, program is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initiative that received $5 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds. A total of 70,000 vouchers were issued nationwide as part of the EHV program, which started in 2021. The Housing Authority of Island County received just 15 vouchers.

Although the vouchers were intended to be supported until 2030, the program will come to an end in 2026. A major reason has been rent increases nationwide that have used up more money than what was allocated to the vouchers.

“Every time rent goes up, less money was available for the future,” Maria Maguire, the executive director for the Housing Authority of Island County, said.

From her calculations, the EHV program in Island County will run out of money by the end of August or September 2026. It was always intended to be a temporary program, but the reality of a much shorter timeframe than expected was only revealed a few months ago to the housing authorities that distribute the vouchers.

Of the 15 families in Island County that originally received assistance from the EHV program, the local housing authority is currently working with just 12 now, helping them to explore their options. That could involve applying for an apartment unit at Camas Flats, a project in Oak Harbor expected to be completed within the next few months. A portion of the units have been set aside for project-based vouchers that are also issued by the Housing Authority of Island County.

It’s possible that EHV could be converted into another type of voucher known as Housing Choice Voucher, or HCV, though this has not yet been determined. In addition, staff are encouraging the 12 families to apply to other subsidized housing within the community.

The main issue, Maguire explained, has been convincing people of the seriousness of the situation. They need to act now before the EHV money runs out.

“Hopefully no other programs get cut,” she said. “I’m an optimistic person, so I’m really hoping that solutions are around the corner, but you never know.”

Maguire is thankful for Island County’s small number of vouchers. Neighboring counties have distributed the vouchers in the hundreds, and thousands of people are at risk of becoming homeless with the end of the EHV program. She highly doubts the program will receive more funding in the current political climate, though President Donald Trump has talked about putting more money towards the housing crisis.

“What does that look like, I honestly don’t know,” Maguire said.