HUD and VA Team up to Help Homeless Vets Find Permanent Homes

I talked about this program several months ago when it was noted that Tucson had made unbelievable progress housing homeless Vets. Some national stats are below, on the HUD/VA initiative. ~Bill

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced a nearly $12 million to 79 local public housing agencies across the country to provide a permanent home to veterans experiencing homelessness. The supportive housing assistance announced this week 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.

HUD is providing $6.4 million to 27 local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to provide permanent supportive housing to an estimated 821 Veterans. These vouchers are being awarded through the HUD-VASH Project-based Voucher Set-Aside competition, announced in June 2015. These PBVS will enable homeless veterans and their families to access affordable housing with an array of supportive services.

HUD is also providing 52 PHAs with a total of $5.4 million Extraordinary Administrative Fees (EAF) to support their HUD-VASH programs and reduce the amount of time that it takes for a Veteran to locate and move into permanent housing.

“It’s unacceptable that anyone who wore our nation’s uniform falls into homelessness and even calls the streets their home,” says Secretary Julián Castro. “Although we’ve made tremendous progress in preventing and reducing Veteran homelessness, these vouchers continue to build upon our shared mission to end veteran homelessness once and for all.”

“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,” says Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert 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 in our joint effort and when combined with the wrap-around health care and education and training services VA can provide, we can make sure veterans across the country have a home.”

Last month, HUD and the VA announced a demonstration to offer a permanent home and supportive services to Native American Veterans who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Through this demonstration, HUD is making available $4 million in grant funding to Indian tribes and Tribally Designated Entities (TDHEs) to fund this rental assistance and associated administrative fees. HUD and VA anticipate awarding approximately 600 vouchers to Indian Tribes and TDHEs to help house and serve an estimated 600 Native American veterans who are experiencing homelessness or at the extreme risk of becoming homeless.

For more information, visit www.hud.gov.

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