Maria Bynum (215) 430-6622 |
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Release
Friday June 18, 2010 |
HUD TO HELP 20 HOMELESS VETERANS IN WEST VIRGINIA FIND PERMANENT HOMES
Additional $7.5 million allows HUD to help total of 9,000 homeless vets nationally
CHARLESTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Deputy Regional Administrator Brenda Laroche announced today $102,828 in additional funding to allow local housing agencies in West Virginia to provide a permanent home for 20 homeless veterans. The funding is provided through a second round of grants under HUD's Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) program. This funding is part of $7.5 million HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that will support nearly 1,300 homeless veterans.
Working closely with local Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers, local public housing agencies will target these grants specifically to homeless veterans in their area. Earlier this month, HUD announced $58.6 million in HUD-VASH grants to provide 7,500 vouchers for homeless veterans. For a local breakdown of the vouchers announced today, visit HUD's website.
"These grants are providing real hope to our homeless veterans who might otherwise be forced to live on our streets," said Brenda Laroche. "With this additional funding, we'll be able to put a total of nearly 9,000 new vouchers in local communities across the country to help those who served and sacrificed so much for us."
"This program provides critical assistance to those who have worn our nation's military uniforms and are in need of a home," said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. "VA and HUD will continue to work in partnership to end homelessness among veterans."
The grants announced today are part of a $75 million investment to support the needs of homeless veterans. On June 3, 2010, HUD announced the first round of funding - $58.6 million that supported nearly 8,000 vouchers. The remaining funds will be awarded to housing agencies later this summer. Local public housing agencies that administer HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) work closely with VA Medical Centers to manage the program. In addition to the rental assistance, VAMCs provide supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans.
HUD allocates the these housing vouchers to local public housing agencies, which will target them to homeless veterans based on a variety of factors, including the number of reported homeless veterans and the proximity of a local VA Medical Centers with the capacity to provide case management. These medical centers identify eligible participants and provide case management. VA case managers will also work directly with local housing agencies that are administering the HUD-VASH program to determine income eligibility and help participants find suitable housing.
Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S and Puerto Rico.
This is the third year HUD is supporting the housing and service needs of homeless veterans across America through HUD-VASH with a total investment of $225 million that will sustain approximately 30,000 rental assistance vouchers.
On Tuesday, June 22, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) - which includes HUD and VA - will release the nation's first comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness. The HEARTH Act, signed into law by President Obama in May 2009 mandated that USICH present to Congress a "national strategic plan" to end homelessness. Beginning in January 2010, USICH held regional stakeholder meetings, organized federal working groups focused on specific populations, solicited public comment through an interactive website, and engaged experts from across the country to develop an action plan to solve homelessness for veterans, adults, families, youth, and children.
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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.