Biden-Harris Administration Expands Housing Access for Veterans

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a series of new policy changes that will help more veterans receive assistance under the HUD-Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) program. Supporting Housing (HUD-VASH), and improving. their access to supported housing development. Veterans experiencing homelessness often receive VA benefits as a result of an injury or illness acquired or aggravated during military service. Prior to this change, these benefits were considered cash when determining eligibility for certain supportive housing improvements – which caused some veterans to exceed the income threshold for these programs. HUD’s policy changes will help more homeless veterans with service-connected disability benefits access housing improvement options. In addition, HUD today awarded $20 million to public housing agencies to continue to improve the HUD-VASH program.

“No veteran should have to experience homelessness, but when they do, they shouldn’t face barriers to getting the help they deserve,” said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “This policy change will ensure that veterans receiving service-earned disability benefits can receive the housing assistance and support services they need to address their homelessness.”

The HUD-VASH program is an important tool to help veterans experiencing homelessness. HUD-VASH provides rental assistance through housing vouchers targeted to veterans experiencing homelessness from HUD through case management and other support services provided by the VA. VA homeless program staff at local VA medical centers identify veterans experiencing homelessness and refer them to community housing agencies that provide vouchers to eligible veterans and families. see. VA workers provide case management and other support services to help veterans find and move into rental housing, maintain housing, and connect with health care, employment, and supports. the rest.

“The days of a Veteran having to choose between getting the VA benefits they deserve and the housing support they need are over,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “This is a critical step forward that will help Veterans across the country – and bring us one step closer to our goal of ending Veteran homelessness for good.”

HUD expands access to HUD-VASH for veterans by:

• Requiring public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer HUD-VASH to set the first income eligibility for veterans at 80% of the Area Median Income, as opposed to 50% of the Area Median Income. The use of this upper income limit is now optional and many housing associations have already adopted the upper limit, but HUD is now making this increase mandatory.
• Adopting an alternative definition of annual income for HUD-VASH program applicants and participants that does not include service-related disability benefits in determining eligibility. This alternative income statement may be accepted by other housing assistance programs to determine your eligibility.

HUD has been working with the US Department of the Treasury to determine the impact of another income definition for HUD-VASH participants seeking housing supported by Low Income Housing Loans. The Treasury expects to issue guidance on this shortly. HUD will also encourage state and local governments to make corresponding changes to their grant programs to ensure that all veterans experiencing homelessness have access to supportive housing.

“Every veteran deserves a roof over their head, and the Biden-Harris Administration is doing everything in our power to end veteran homelessness,” said White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden. “Today’s action demonstrates President Biden and Vice President Harris’ commitment to breaking down housing barriers so that every veteran can get the benefits they deserve.”

The updated HUD-VASH performance requirements also include additional policy changes that will improve the administration of the HUD-VASH program. This will allow PHAs the ability to:

• Make non-competitive awards of HUD-VASH contracts based on housing projects or groups of VA buildings serving HUD-VASH households;
• Accept Exception Payment Rates such as Affordable Housing up to 140% of Fair Market Rent;
• Establish a separate minimum rent policy (including a minimum rent policy) for HUD-VASH participants.

In addition to these policy changes, HUD has made $20 million available for additional administrative funding to the 245 public housing agencies in 43 states that currently administer HUD-VASH. With this money, PHAs are encouraged to expand their housing search grants to support veterans, expand landlord recruitment for the program, provide incentives and savings payments, assist veterans with -security deposits, and providing mediation services with landlords.

Since the program’s inception, HUD-VASH has helped more than 200,000 veterans exit homelessness and find permanent affordable housing. The HUD-VASH program has been a cornerstone of our nation’s success in reducing the number of veterans experiencing homelessness by more than 50% since 2010.

The updated HUD-VASH performance requirements can be found here.