HUD & VA ANNOUNCE $1.4 MILLION TO HOUSE/SERVE HOMELESS VETERANS IN AMARILLO, DALLAS, FT WORTH AND HOUSTON
Additional 240 HUD/VASH housing vouchers bring total vouchers in Texas to 4165

FORT WORTH- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced $1,463, 461 in funding to the Amarillo, Dallas, Fort Worth and Harris County housing authorities to provide permanent housing to homeless veterans in conjunction with support services from the VA. (Individual housing authority funding chart follows.)

The grants announced today are part of $75 million appropriated this year through the HUD--Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program. The supportive housing assistance provided through HUD-VASH combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. With today's funding of 240 housing vouchers, the total number of HUD/VASH vouchers in Texas in now 3710.

This is the first round of the 2013 HUD-VASH funding. HUD expects to announce more HUD-VASH funding this fall.

"Every day we work to eliminate homelessness for those who served in the defense of our nation," said HUD Secretary Donovan. "HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs have forged an unprecedented and lasting partnership to make sure those who wore the uniform never face a life on the streets or in our shelters."

"These HUD-VASH vouchers are a vital tool in our effort to provide these brave men and women with the earned care and benefits that help them live productive, meaningful lives," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "So long as a single veteran lives on our streets, we have work to do. But with the continued support of President Obama, Congress and our community partners, we will end homelessness among veterans."

VA Medical Centers work with homeless veterans and then refer them to public housing agencies for the vouchers based upon a variety of factors, most importantly, the duration of the homelessness and the need for longer term, more intensive, support to obtain and maintain permanent housing, which they provide.

Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam and Puerto Rico.

HUD-VASH is a critical part of the Obama Administration's commitment to end Veteran and long-term chronic homelessness by 2015. Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness (http://www.usich.gov/PDF/FactSheetVeterans.pdf) serves as a roadmap for how the federal government will work with state and local communities to confront the root causes of homelessness, especially among former servicemen and women. HUD's annual "point in time" estimate of the number of homeless persons and families for 2012 found that veteran homelessness fell by 7.2 percent (or 4,876 people) since January 2011 and by 17.2 percent since January 2009. On a single night in January 2012, 62,619 veterans were homeless.

Texas funding announced today listed by name of housing authority, city, associated VAMC, number of vouchers funded today, the total number of vouchers the HA now administers and the dollar amount of today's vouchers:

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.

VA is the federal government's second-largest cabinet office. Secretary Shinseki has outlined three key priorities for the department: increase Veteran access to VA services and benefits, eliminate the disability claims backlog, and end Veteran homelessness. VA provides health care to more than 6 million people each year, in 91 million outpatient visits and 960,000 hospitalizations. This year, VA will provide over $1 billion in specialized homeless program funding, more than $58 billion annually in disability pay and pensions to 4.5 million Americans, $10 billion in educational assistance, $1 billion for home loans and $2.6 billion for life insurance. More information about VA is available at www.va.gov.