The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have awarded $16.1 million in HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to 71 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the country. The funds will be directed towards tackling veteran homelessness by providing housing and supportive services.
HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge expressed excitement about the new vouchers, stating, "This investment represents our commitment to making veteran homelessness a thing of the past."
The HUD-VASH program is a coordinated effort between HUD and the VA to provide housing and comprehensive support services to homeless veterans. It combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services from the VA.
The awarded funds have been distributed to various housing authorities across the country. For example, the Sarasota Housing Authority in Florida will receive $1,262,250, while the Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa in Northern California will obtain $2,107,886. The Housing Authority of the City of Reno in Nevada and the Spokane Housing Authority in Washington are earmarked to receive $963,720 and $795,165, respectively.
In addition to these allocations, vouchers will also be made accessible in other regions such as Alaska HCS, New Jersey HCS, Oklahoma City, Cincinnati, Washington DC, and St. Louis. A comprehensive list of beneficiaries can be found on the HUD website.
The partnership between the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), HUD, and the VA has been instrumental in addressing veteran homelessness. Since the beginning of 2020, there has been an 11% reduction in the number of homeless veterans, marking the largest decrease in over five years. This collaboration aims to continue making progress in ending veteran homelessness.
