In a significant move to combat veteran homelessness, the Biden-Harris Administration has unveiled a $20 million funding boost to the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. This pivotal initiative aims to provide housing assistance to veterans and their families, with a strong focus on Texas, where $1,113,877 has been allocated to 18 housing authorities.

The newly announced funds are a lifeline for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across 43 states, enhancing their capacity to offer comprehensive support to veterans in need. This includes essential services like housing search assistance, landlord recruitment, and mediation activities—all designed to ensure that our nation's heroes have a place to call home.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Richard J. Monocchio emphasized the administration's unwavering commitment, stating, "These additional fees will enable communities to build on the successes of HUD-VASH, accelerating leasing processes and improving program utilization to reduce veteran homelessness nationwide."

In Texas, this financial injection couldn't come at a more critical time. With the support of the HUD Southwest Regional Administrator, Candace Valenzuela, the focus is on swiftly providing housing, healthcare, and vital support services to veterans. "The last thing our veterans facing distress need is a delay in receiving or saving their housing," Valenzuela remarked, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

 HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman
 

 

Moreover, HUD has introduced policy changes to ensure that veterans receiving service-connected disability benefits are no longer disqualified from supportive housing projects. This move addresses a longstanding issue where such benefits were previously counted as income, potentially disqualifying veterans from receiving the assistance they need.

Since its inception in 2008, the HUD-VASH program has successfully housed over 200,000 veterans. With the new funds, the program aims to continue its mission of providing permanent, affordable housing, helping to further reduce the number of homeless veterans—a figure that has already dropped by 52% since 2010.

As the Biden-Harris Administration continues to prioritize the well-being of veterans, this latest round of funding is a testament to the nation's commitment to those who have served. With over 112,000 HUD-VASH vouchers currently in use, and more on the way, the future looks brighter for veterans across Texas and the nation.

Local amounts funded:

 

 

For more info, visit HUD.gov