HUD OFFERS PERMANENT HOMES FOR MORE THAN 10,000 HOMELESS VETS
$75 million HUD-VASH program to provide rental housing and support services

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today the final allocations of more than 10,000 vouchers to local public housing authorities across the country to provide permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans.

For a local breakdown of the rental vouchers announced today, visit HUD's website.

"Numerous men and women voluntarily leave their families and put their lives on the line to ensure that we, their fellow Americans, live safely in our homes," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, who announced the $75 million in funding last month with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. "These vouchers offer veterans a permanent home and critically needed supportive services to those who have served our nation."

HUD's Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) will provide local public housing agencies with 10,290 rental assistance vouchers specifically targeted to assist homeless veterans in their area. Public housing authorities, that administer HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV), work closely with Veteran Affairs Medical Centers to manage the program. In addition to the rental assistance, VA Medical Centers provide supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans.

"The announcement of an additional 10,290 HUD-VASH vouchers for homeless Veterans and their families allows us to take another giant step forward with a collaborative effort to reach some of the most vulnerable Veterans; including women Veterans and Veterans with children," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We will connect these Veterans with dedicated case managers to insure they receive the health care and benefit assistance to help them to move on with their lives with dignity."

HUD allocates the housing vouchers to local public housing agencies across the country that are specifically targeted to homeless veterans based on a variety of factors, including the number of reported homeless veterans and the proximity of a local VA Medical Center with the capacity to provide case management.

HUD's HCV program (Section 8) allows participants to rent privately owned housing and generally pay no more than 30 percent of annual adjusted income. The VA will offer eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The VA addresses the needs of more than 100,000 homeless veterans who access VA health care annually.

In the last two years, HUD has provided $150 million that will sustain 20,000 vouchers to support the housing and service needs of homeless veterans across America. In its proposed 2010 budget, the Obama Administration demonstrates its support of homeless veterans by renewing these and other special purpose vouchers.

Local communities or "Continuums of Care" that receive HUD homeless assistance will work with local VA Medical Centers to identify eligible participants. The VA will then screen homeless veterans to determine their eligibility. Those eligible vets will receive treatment and regular case management to retain the voucher. VA Medical Center case managers will also work closely with local housing agencies to help participants find suitable housing. Participating local housing agencies will also determine income eligibility in accordance to HUD regulations for the HCV program.

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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 at www.hud.gov 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.