Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH)
The Department of Housing and Urban Development – Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program combines HUD Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless veterans and their families with case management and clinical services provided by VA. HUD allocates the special purpose vouchers to local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs), who must collaborate with their local VA Medical Center (VAMC) to administer the assistance.
HUD-VASH is modeled after the housing choice voucher program, where participants are issued a voucher for use in the private rental market. Participants typically pay between 30 to 40 percent of their income toward rent and the local PHA pays the difference directly to the landlord. Before the participant moves in, the PHA must inspect the unit to ensure it meets HUD's Quality Standards (HQS), and the monthly rent for the unit must meet the fair-market rent (FMR) and local rent reasonableness standards. While vouchers are generally tenant-based, project-based vouchers may be used on a case-by-case basis.
VAMC responsibilities include:
- Screening homeless veterans to determine whether they meet the HUD-VASH program participation criteria established by the VA national office;
- Providing housing search assistance to HUD-VASH participants;
- Identifying the supportive service and medical needs of HUD-VASH participants and providing, or ensuring the provision of, regular case management and services; and
- Maintaining records and providing information for evaluation purposes, as required by HUD and the VA.
USICH and VA have released guidance on how best to implement HUD-VASH successfully. The USICH toolkit provides information for providers, local Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), and others directly involved with placing Veterans in housing. The VA guidance provides in-depth information to provide case managers, and others who work with homeless Veterans in the HUD-VASH program, with a comprehensive set of resources to assist in addressing the multifaceted needs of homeless Veterans.
Eligible Applicants:
As of FY2009, 132 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) and 137 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) had been identified and selected to participate in the HUD-VASH program. Each VAMC is partnered with at least one PHA and there is at least one VAMC-PHA partnership in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Eligible Beneficiaries:
HUD-VASH assists homeless veterans and their families. Beneficiaries are selected based on certain requirements including health care eligibility, homelessness status, and income. While participants are not required to be chronically homeless, this is the target population for the program in many communities.
Funding Mechanism:
HUD-VASH vouchers, like all special purpose vouchers, are provided by Congress in line item appropriations. For example, in 2008, Congress made available $75 million to fund 10,000 HUD-VASH vouchers, and funded an additional 10,000 vouchers in 2009. HUD and the VA allocates vouchers to communities based on need and use.
