Many Veterans in the United States have some difficulty transitioning to civilian life once they are done serving their country. Unfortunately, many Veterans have trouble paying monthly rental bills, and homelessness among Veterans is a problem that needs to be solved. Luckily, there are resources that are available to Veterans so they can receive housing assistance to help pay their rent and transition easily into civilian life.
The HUD-VASH program was created by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help Veterans gain access to affordable housing and healthcare services. Similar to the Section 8 program, HUD-VASH provides housing vouchers to the Veterans who are enrolled in the program to be applied to cover a portion of rent.
However, unlike the Section 8 program, which is primarily dependent on income level, you must be a U.S. military Veteran to qualify for HUD-VASH vouchers.
The main difference between Section 8 and HUD-VASH, however, is that HUD-VASH is tailored towards helping Veterans combat homelessness.
So, HUD-VASH does not only provide housing assistance to the Veterans who need help paying rental bills, the program also provides Veterans access to health resources. Health resources like treatment and care for behavioral health and mental health, affordable healthcare and more.
Through a case management structure where each Veteran enrolled in the program receives individualized support, HUD-VASH help Veterans become self-sufficient so they can focus on their health instead of stressing about paying housing costs.
More requirements that you must meet to qualify for HUD-VASH include:
- You must already qualify for VA healthcare.
- You must meet the definition of homeless as defined by the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
This is a federal law that provides money for homeless shelter programs. In general, this means that you must not have a place to stay at night or that you spend nights at a shelter or place that is not designed for permanent human residence.
- You must meet HUD regulations which are determined by your local PHA.
To apply for the HUD-VASH, contact your local VA Homeless program. Next, learn how the Section 8 program can help you buy a house.
By Admin –
