Saginaw to Receive HUD Funding for Homeless Veterans

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it is awarding $46 million in rental assistance and housing vouchers to help veterans at risk of experiencing homelessness. This includes nearly $95,000 to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority for the Saginaw and Iron Mountain communities. The supportive housing assistance is provided through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program, which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by the VA. See the local impact.

A component of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, the HUD-VASH vouchers being awarded today 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.

“Ending veteran homelessness has been a top priority for the Trump Administration since day one,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “We have an obligation to ensure that our nation’s veterans, who have given so much for our country are not left out on the streets. They fought for us, now it’s time for us to fight for them.”

“By partnering with Veterans Affairs on the supportive services to complement our rental assistance, the HUD-VASH program ensures that all veterans have a home in the very nation they served to protect,” said HUD Regional Administrator Joseph P. Galvan.

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.

Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

See the local impact in the State of Michigan:

 

 
2020 HUD-VASH Awards
 
 
Michigan
Public Housing Agency
Award Amount
Vouchers
 
Michigan State Housing Development Authority – Saginaw
$ 66,766
12
 
Michigan State Housing Development Authority – Iron Mountain
$ 27,819
5
 
 Michigan total
$ 94,585
17
 
National total
$46,825,024
4,875