A Chance to Start Over

HUD Regional Director Taylor Caswell and Congressman Michael Capuano (center, holding check) join (left to right) VA Boston Healthcare System Director Michael Lawson, US Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, Boston Housing Authority Administrator Sandra Henriquez, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, and Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans Services Thomas Kelley, to announce new funding that will provide veterans with permanent housing options.

More than 200 homeless veterans are getting a chance to start over, thanks to a new federal housing program that is providing additional rental assistance vouchers.

On July 8, 2008, federal, state and local officials gathered at the VA Medical Center in Boston to announce $2.5 million in funding for 245 vouchers for chronically homeless veterans in Massachusetts. The funding is part of $72.3 million awarded nationwide to provide permanent housing options to more than 10,000 veterans.

The additional vouchers were awarded to the Boston Housing Authority to administer a program in conjunction with the VA Boston Healthcare System, to the Northampton Housing Authority to administer a program in conjunction with the Northampton VA Medical Center and to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development to administer a program in conjunction with the Bedford VA Medical Center.

The VA will provide outreach, supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans. The housing agencies will determine income eligibility in accordance with HUD regulations for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. Under the program, veterans can use vouchers to rent privately-owned units and pay up to 30 percent of income toward rent.

Attendees gather at the VA Medical Center in Boston to hear the funding announcement.

"This program is a blessing," said Stephanie, an Army veteran. "I've been living in a shelter for 17 months and I will be ever so glad to get out of there."

For more information on the program, veterans may call (857) 367-4444. Visit HUD's website to learn more about the Housing Choice Voucher program.