Federal agencies helping homeless vets in Hawaii find homes

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Veterans Affairs Monday announced $193,913 in rental vouchers to local public housing agencies in Hawaii to help an additional 22 homeless veterans find permanent supportive housing.

These vouchers are provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. Last October, the two agencies awarded $62 million in HUD-VASH vouchers to assist more than 9,000 homeless veterans nationwide. Since HUD-VASH funding began in 2008, the two agencies have now supported vouchers for 478 homeless veterans in Hawaii.

With HUD approaching its 50th anniversary next year, Secretary Julian Castro is focused on advancing policies that create opportunities for all Americans, including the broader administration goal of ending homelessness among veterans.

Since 2008, more than 68,000 vouchers have been awarded and over 74,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUD-VASH program. Rental assistance and support services provided through HUD-VASH are a critical resource for local communities in ending homelessness among our nation’s veterans.

Additionally, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness serves as a road map 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. As evidence of that commitment, President Barack Obama has asked for an additional $75 million for HUD-VASH vouchers to serve veterans experiencing homelessness in his fiscal year 2015 budget request to Congress.

In the HUD-VASH program, VA Medical Centers assess veterans experiencing homelessness before referring them to local housing agencies for these vouchers. Decisions are based on a variety of factors, most importantly the duration of homelessness and the need for longer term, more intensive support in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. The HUD-VASH program includes both the rental assistance the voucher provides and the comprehensive case management that VAMC staff offers.

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