A U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco has issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, preventing the withdrawal of federal housing funds over new requirements related to DEI, immigration enforcement, abortion, and gender ideology linked to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding.
The order, granted by Judge Barbara Jacobs Rothstein from the Western District of Washington state, blocks the administration from revoking grant money on grounds that the new conditions violate the separation of powers doctrine and were not approved by Congress. Local governments, including San Francisco, Santa Clara County, and others, challenged HUD’s authority to impose such conditions without congressional consent.
Legal Battle Over Housing Funds
The coalition of local governments, which filed the lawsuit in Seattle, emphasized that HUD’s actions could lead to mass evictions in San Francisco and other areas. San Francisco alone receives over $50 million annually from HUD, primarily for rental assistance and homeless services.
City Attorney David Chiu expressed relief over the court’s decision, denouncing the new grant conditions as unconstitutional and irrelevant to the grant’s purpose. Chiu accused the Trump administration of using these requirements to advance its political agenda at the expense of local programs.
Implications and Next Steps
Despite arguments from HUD and the administration asserting executive authority in grant administration, Judge Jacobs Rothstein’s order stands for two weeks pending further legal action. The lawsuit underscores the ongoing struggle between federal and local authorities over funding and policy compliance.
This development highlights the importance of judicial oversight and the limits of executive power in allocating federal resources. It also showcases the role of legal challenges in upholding constitutional principles and protecting vulnerable populations.
