Missouri Receives $200K as Part of Biden-Harris Initiative to Address Veteran Homelessness
The Biden-Harris administration is actively addressing the issue of veteran homelessness. The Administration has distributed $20 million nationwide, with Missouri receiving nearly $200,000.
Based on the 2023 Annual Homeless Report, over 35,000 veterans have unfortunately faced homelessness, resulting in a nearly 7% increase compared to previous years. However, officials are optimistic that with the aid of funding, this situation can be improved.
On Thursday, the Biden-Harris administration unveiled a potential resolution for the numerous veterans who are currently without housing.
The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program offers a range of assistance programs to help veterans find and maintain housing. These programs include Housing Search Assistance, Home Owner incentives and retention payments, and Landlord Recruitment.
Alongside the monetary award, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has unveiled a series of policies aimed at providing support to homeless veterans.
“Through additional funding resources for one of our most valuable programs, HUD-VASH, we can provide a much needed means to an end for our veterans at risk,” said Adrianne Todman.
Ensuring that veterans are not disqualified from assisted housing due to receiving other benefits, such as veteran disability funding, is a priority.
“There was kind of an income cap because people who received disability, full disability, those veterans then didn’t necessarily qualify for housing, and that’s changed in this new rule,” said Chris Rice with Springfield’s Veteran Coming Home Center.
The Veterans’ Coming Home Center in Springfield may not be affiliated with the HUD-VASH program, but they are dedicated to offering housing assistance to local veterans in need.
“You would find the local service provider of HUD-VASH and then they would make available these funds for housing,” said Rice.
