Nearly $35,000 in HUD-VASH vouchers will provide housing and supportive services for St. Paul veterans
In a continuing effort to end veteran homelessness, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced nearly $35,000 to the Public Housing Agency of the City of St. Paul to provide permanent homes to five veterans experiencing homelessness. The supportive housing assistance announced today is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program that combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. This award is in addition to the $29.3 million to 216 local public housing agencies (PHAs) across the country that was announced in December 2019.
HUD-VASH vouchers are a component of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, and they enable homeless veterans to obtain affordable, decent housing in the private market. These vouchers are critical tools in helping communities effectively end homelessness among veterans.
In 2019, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by two percent and dropped by nearly 50 percent since the HUD-VASH program was created.
“The HUD-VASH program combines HUD rental assistance for homeless veterans with the VA’s supportive services to help our brave Americans successfully start a new and brighter chapter in their lives,” said HUD Regional Administrator Joseph P. Galvan.
“The Saint Paul PHA is pleased to be receiving additional HUD-VASH vouchers so we can continue to serve homeless veterans. It is especially crucial in times like these that we continue to serve those in need of housing. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with HUD and the VA Medical Center of Minneapolis,” said Corina Serrano, Assistant Section 8 Programs Manager of the Public Housing Agency of the City of St. Paul.
Since 2008, the HUD-VASH program has served more than 170,000 homeless veterans and awarded more than 100,000 vouchers. Nearly 640 PHAs administer the HUD-VASH program. Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent.
In the HUD-VASH program, VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) 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.