HUD Provides $46 Million to Help Homeless Vets

July 18, 2011 (Shirley Allen)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that they are teaming up to provide $46.2 million to public housing agencies to supply permanent housing and case management for 6,790 homeless American veterans.



Part of HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH), the program provides for a coordinated effort between HUD, the VA, and local housing agencies to provide permanent housing for homeless veterans.

This is the first of two rounds of $50 million appropriated for Fiscal Year 2011 to support the housing needs of homeless veterans. VA Medical Centers will also provide support services and case management to the eligible veterans.

The HUD-VASH program allows participating veterans to rent privately owned housing in which they generally do not contribute any more than 30 percent of their income toward rent.

“Over the past three years, HUD helped thousands of homeless veterans find a permanent place to call home while VA provided medical treatment, case management and other services to address their specific needs,” said HUD Secretary Donovan. “We have no greater mission than to prevent and end homelessness, especially for those brave men and women who risked their lives to protect our nation.”

HUD-VASH was originally enacted as part of the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act on December 26, 2007. HUD has awarded funding for approximately 10,000 HUD-VASH vouchers each year in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The funding for this years program provides for 6,790 vouchers.

The program spans all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A complete list of the Public Housing Agencies (PHA) and the partnering VA Medical Center participating in the program is available on HUD’s website here.

Tags: HUD, VA, HUD-VASH, homeless veterans, permanent housing, public housing agencies

Source:
HUD