Senator Murray Announces Funding to Help House Veterans

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Senate Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that 325 housing vouchers will be allocated to nine different state Housing Authorities in order to help get Washington state homeless veterans into housing. One of the vouchers will be going to the Yakima Housing Authority. The vouchers are part of the HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH program). Senator Murray provided $75 million nationwide to fund new vouchers in the Senate spending bill last year. She also worked to secure $201 million for the VA to provide case management and services for veterans in the program.

“This is a huge boost for efforts to get homeless veterans in our state into stable housing,” said Senator Murray. “Each one of these vouchers means a year’s rent for someone who has sacrificed for our nation but is now sleeping on our streets. With new servicemembers returning home every day and the economy sputtering, we must step up our efforts to provide all veterans with housing and the dignity that comes with it. We owe it to our veterans to provide them with the resources and support they need to put a roof over their heads.”

Under the HUD-VASH program, Housing Authorities across the state will receive vouchers that can be used for rental assistance in the local community. The local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility then works on outreach efforts to identify homeless veterans who can be provided with vouchers. Each rental assistance voucher is valued at roughly $7500 and provides rental assistance for a housing unit for a homeless veteran and any family members. In addition to the rental assistance, local VA Medical Centers provide supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans.

Today’s announcement is part of an allocation of $75 million that will be distributed to local public housing agencies across 50 states and provide help to an estimated 10,500 veterans. Senator Murray included the $75 million for this program in the 2012 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill, which she oversees and which funds the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).