December 11, 2018

HUD & VA: Additional Support Announced to Help Homeless Veterans Find Permanent Homes

Second Round of HUD-VASH vouchers to provide housing for veterans and their families

In a continuing effort to help end veteran homelessness, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announce a second round of funding to help provide permanent homes to veterans and their families experiencing homelessness in six states and the District of Columbia.

The funding provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program gives an additional 424 vouchers to local public housing agencies across the country. In October, HUD awarded another $35 million to help more than 4,000 homeless veterans find permanent homes.

Recently, HUD, VA and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) announced the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States has been cut nearly in half since 2010. The data revealed a 5.4 percent decrease in veteran homelessness between January 2017 and January 2018.

“As a nation, it’s our duty to serve the men and women in uniform who sacrificed so much for our country,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “The additional HUD-VASH vouchers awarded today will continue to support the important work of communities across the country that ensures our veterans have a safe and stable place to call home.”

“VA, HUD, and our federal, state and local partners are proud of the significant decline in Veteran homelessness achieved in recent years; however, important work remains,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The housing choice vouchers and wraparound supportive service announced today will improve the lives of many Veterans who are currently homeless by helping them find a place to call home and reintegrate back into their families and communities.”

The HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance vouchers from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. Since 2008, more than 93,000 vouchers have been awarded and approximately 150,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUD-VASH program. More than 600 public housing authorities (PHAs) administer the HUD-VASH program, and this most recent award includes 25 additional PHAs, increasing HUD-VASH coverage to more communities.

In the HUD-VASH program, VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) 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 long-term, 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 VAMC staff offers.

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. Read more about the HUD-VASH program.

In October, HUD and VA awarded $35 million to help more than 4,000 homeless veterans find homes. The funding ensured communities could provide the critically needed housing assistance and case management services to veterans and their families experiencing homelessness. The agencies also announced an additional $7.4 million through the Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot (VHRMP) Program to assist disabled veterans with modifying or rehabilitating their homes, making them more accessible.

HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Choice Vouchers (HUD-VASH)
Fiscal Year 2018 Awards – Round 2

STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY PARTNERING VA MEDICAL FACILITY
NUMBER OF VOUCHERS
AWARD AMOUNT
STATE TOTAL
California County of Los Angeles Housing Authority Greater Los Angeles HCS
26
$289,559
City of Los Angeles Housing Authority Greater Los Angeles HCS
40
$425,867
County of San Joaquin Housing Authority Palo Alto
5
$29,162
County of Stanislaus Housing Authority Palo Alto
10
$55,552
County of Santa Clara Housing Authority Palo Alto
35
$704,142
Santa Cruz County Housing Authority Palo Alto
5
$57,926
Housing Authority of the City of Livermore Palo Alto
4
$60,679
Housing Authority of the City of Santa Ana Long Beach HCS
5
$53,760
County of Orange Housing Authority Long Beach HCS
32
$364,050
Anaheim Housing Authority Long Beach HCS
20
$273,531
City of Sacramento Housing Authority Northern California HCS
21
$150,644
Contra Costa County Housing Authority Northern California HCS
21
$299,136
California Total:
$2,764,008
District of Columbia D.C. Housing Authority Washington DC
28
$377,727
District of Columbia Total:
$377,727
Hawaii County of Hawaii Pacific Islands HCS
3
$23,155
City and County of Honolulu Pacific Islands HCS
10
$112,509
Hawaii Public Housing Authority Pacific Islands HCS
10
$113,290
Hawaii Total:
$248,954
Idaho Idaho Housing and Finance Association Spokane
9
$32,859
Idaho Total:
$32,859
New Mexico Albuquerque Housing Authority New Mexico HCS
6
$31,916
Bernalillo County Housing Department New Mexico HCS
10
$59,241
New Mexico Total:
$91,157
Oregon Housing Authority of Clackamas County Portland
15
$142,301
Housing Authority of Portland Portland
32
$274,252
Housing Authority of Washington County Portland
15
$138,017
Oregon Total:
$554,570
Washington King County Housing Authority Seattle
43
$465,992
Pierce County Housing Authority Seattle
10
$71,029
Spokane Housing Authority Spokane
9
$38,988
Washington Total:
$576,009
TOTAL
$4,645,284
This post was originally published here.