2004 Public Policy Recommendation

U.S. Senators—All Senators—Write a letter to Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies (VA-HUD) Chair Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) and Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) urging them to allocate at least $13.5 million from the Housing Choice Voucher Program account to the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program in the “Chairman’s Mark” of the FY 2005 VA-HUD appropriations measure.  Senators on the Appropriations Committee—Prepare to offer an amendment during markup of the FY 2005 VA-HUD appropriations measure to allocate at least $13.5 million from the Housing Choice Voucher Program account to HUD-VASH.

U.S. Representatives—All Representatives—Write a letter to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson urging the Department to allocate at least $13.5 million from the Housing Choice Voucher Program account to the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program in FY 2005.

Issue Status

The President’s FY 2005 Budget, submitted to Congress in February 2004, does not report the amount of funding currently expended or expected to be expended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on HUD-VASH.

In late July, the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives approved an FY 2005 VA-HUD appropriations measure with $20 billion for the Housing Choice Voucher program, a $761 million increase above the FY 2004 level.  The Committee has not yet released report language in order for a determination to be made whether it has issued any instructions to HUD regarding the use of Housing Choice Voucher funds for an expansion of the HUD-VASH program.

The Senate VA-HUD Subcommittee may mark-up its version of an FY 2005 VA-HUD appropriations bill in early September.

Why this Matters

• HUD-VASH is the only housing assistance program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development targeted to any veteran population.
• The HUD-VASH program is explicitly designed to provide permanent supportive housing to veterans with serious mental and addictive disorders.
• Rigorous evaluation of the HUD-VASH program conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC) indicates that HUD-VASH significantly reduces days of homelessness for veterans plagued by mental and addictive disorders.
• In the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-95), Congress authorized HUD to allocate 500 additional HUD-VASH vouchers in each of FY 2003 through FY 2006. 
• Congress authorized the additional vouchers because those currently in circulation have been fully utilized by formerly homeless veterans, and only a small number become available each year to veterans who are now ready to resume living in the community.
• Regrettably—and inexplicably—HUD has not requested funding for additional HUD-VASH vouchers in any of its past three budget submissions to Congress, despite the Bush Administration’s pledge to end chronic homelessness by 2011.
• The HUD-VASH program serves a segment of the very homeless subpopulation targeted by the Administration’s chronic homelessness initiative.
• The $13.5 million funding level recommended by NCHV for HUD-VASH assumes an average annual cost per voucher of $7,000 and would sustain the current 1,780 HUD-VASH vouchers in circulation, fill the backlog of 1000 additional authorized vouchers that were not put into circulation in FY 2003 and FY 2004, and fund 500 additional HUD-VASH vouchers authorized for FY 2005.

Background

The Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program provides permanent housing subsidies and case management services to homeless veterans with mental and addictive disorders.  The VA screens homeless veterans for program eligibility and provides case management services to enrollees.  HUD allocates rental subsidies from its Housing Choice Voucher program to the VA, which then distributes them to the enrollees.  HUD currently allocates 1,780 housing choice vouchers under the HUD-VASH program.

The HUD-VASH program was commenced in 1992 under a memorandum of agreement between HUD and VA.  Congress codified the HUD-VASH program in the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-95).  That Act also authorizes HUD to allocate 500 additional HUD-VASH vouchers in each of FY 2003 through FY 2006. 

Committees of Jurisdiction

Senate—Appropriations, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Subcommittee.  Chair, Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO); Ranking Member, Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).  

 
House—Appropriations, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Subcommittee.  Chair, James Walsh (R-NY); Ranking Member, Alan Mollohan (D-WV).

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