Veteran Housing Access Expanded

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) unveiled new policy changes aimed at expanding access to supportive housing for veterans by excluding service-connected disability benefits from income calculations.

The change to the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program addresses a key barrier that previously disqualified some veterans, HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said. HUD also allocated $20 million to public housing agencies to expand the HUD-VASH program and support veterans experiencing homelessness.

“No veteran should ever have to experience homelessness, but when they do, they should not face barriers to getting help they deserve,” said HUD 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 HUD-VASH program pairs rental assistance through housing vouchers targeted to veterans experiencing homelessness from HUD with case management and other supportive services provided by VA. VA homeless program staff at local VA medical centers identify veterans experiencing homelessness and refer them to public housing agencies who issue vouchers to eligible veteran and their families. VA staff provide case management and other “wrap-around” supportive services to assist the veteran household to find and enter rental housing, retain housing and connect to health care, employment and other supports.

“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.”

HUD is expanding access to HUD-VASH for veterans by:

• Requiring public housing agencies (PHAs) that administer HUD-VASH to set the initial income eligibility for veterans at 80% of Area Median Income, rather than 50% of Area Median Income. The use of this higher initial income eligibility threshold is currently optional and many housing agencies have already adopted the higher threshold, but HUD is now making this increase mandatory.
• Adopting an alternative definition of annual income for applicants and participants of the HUD-VASH program that excludes veterans’ service-connected disability benefits when determining eligibility. This alternative annual income definition could be adopted by other housing subsidy programs to determine income eligibility.

HUD has been working with the Treasury Department to determine the effect of the alternative income definition for HUD-VASH participants seeking housing subsidized by Low Income Housing Credits. Treasury expects to issue guidance on this issue in the near term. HUD will also encourage state and local governments to make corresponding changes in their subsidy programs to ensure that all veterans experiencing homelessness have access to supportive housing.

The revised HUD-VASH operating requirements also include additional policy changes that will improve the administration of the HUD-VASH program. This will give 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 accommodation up to 140% of the fair market rent
• Set a separate minimum rent policy (including a zero minimum rent) for HUD-VASH participants

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