WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 22, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — In the ongoing effort to end veteran homelessness, the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) have announced nearly $65 million to help more than 9,300 homeless veterans find a permanent place to call home. The rental assistance, announced April 20, is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA.
“Our nation has a sacred responsibility to support the brave men and women who served with honor, courage and distinction,” said HUD Secretary Julian Castro. “These vouchers will help thousands of veterans start a new chapter in their lives and build for the future. We look forward to partnering with communities to ensure that every veteran can secure this opportunity and have a place to call home.”
“The Department of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development and our federal and local partners should be proud of the gains made reducing veteran homelessness,” said VA Secretary Bob McDonald, “but so long as there remains a veteran living on our streets, we have more work to do. The vouchers made available today are a vital tool to making sure veterans across the country have a home.”
Since 2008, more than 69,000 vouchers have been awarded and over 88,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUD-VASH program. Rental assistance and supportive services provided through HUD-VASH are a critical resource for local communities in ending homelessness among our nation’s veterans.
Additionally, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness serves as a roadmap for how the federal government will work with state and local communities to confront the root causes of homelessness, especially among former servicemen and women.
In the HUD-VASH program, VA medical centers assess veterans experiencing homelessness before referring them to local housing agencies for these vouchers. Decisions are based on a variety of factors, most importantly the duration of homelessness and the need for longer term, more intensive support in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. The HUD-VASH program includes both the rental assistance the voucher provides and the comprehensive case management that VA medical centers offer.
Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
