Veterans will no longer be denied admission to supportive housing subsidized by HUD-VASH (Photo/Getty Images)
By Karen Stokes
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has introduced new policy changes to guarantee that veterans experiencing homelessness are not disqualified from supportive housing projects due to their service-connected disability benefits. This adjustment affects projects subsidized by project-based rental assistance through the HUD-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
Veterans experiencing homelessness receive VA benefits due to injuries or illnesses incurred or aggravated during military service. Prior to this change, these benefits were counted as income when assessing eligibility for housing assistance, which sometimes caused some veterans to exceed the income limits for these programs.
Going forward, veterans will not be denied admission to supportive housing subsidized by HUD-VASH due to their service-connected disability benefits. Additionally, HUD today awarded $20 million to public housing agencies to continue to improve the HUD-VASH program.
“No veteran should ever have to experience homelessness, but when they do, they should not face barriers to getting the help they deserve,” said Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. “This policy change will ensure that veterans who are receiving the disability benefits they earned through service and sacrifice can access the housing assistance and supportive services they need to resolve their homelessness.”
“The days of a Veteran having to choose between getting the VA benefits they deserve and the housing support they need are finally over,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “This is a critical step forward that will help Veterans nationwide– and bring us one step closer to our ultimate goal of putting an end to Veteran homelessness for good.”
The HUD-VASH Program is crucial for housing veterans experiencing homelessness. It combines HUD rental assistance vouchers with case management and support services from the VA. VA staff at local medical centers identify and refer eligible veterans to public housing agencies, which issue vouchers. The VA then provides case management and support to help veterans secure and maintain housing and access health care and other services.
The revised HUD-VASH operating requirements also include additional policy changes that will improve the administration of the HUD-VASH program. This will allow PHAs the authority to:
• Make non-competitive awards of project-based HUD-VASH contracts to housing projects or units on VA facilities that serve HUD-VASH families;
• Approve Exception Payment Standards as a Reasonable Accommodations up to 140% of the Fair Market Rent;
• Set a separate minimum rent policy (including a zero minimum rent) for HUD-VASH participants.
In addition to these policy changes, HUD awarded $20 million available for additional administrative fee funding to 245 public housing agencies in 43 states currently administering HUD-VASH. With this funding, PHAs are encouraged to expand their housing search assistance to support veterans, expand landlord recruitment for the program, offer incentives and retention payments, help veterans with security deposits, and provide landlord-tenant mediation activities.
Since its inception, HUD-VASH has helped over 200,000 veterans exit homelessness and secure permanent affordable housing. It has been key in reducing veteran homelessness by more than 50% since 2010.