Homeless vets set to receive more housing help

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced policy changes that will expand homeless veterans’ access to housing.

Going forward, the joint HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program will no longer consider a veteran’s service-connected disability benefits when determining income for the purposes of housing eligibility, according to a Thursday announcement.

The policy change makes it so that a veteran’s VA benefits for their service-connected disability do not count as income when they are applying for housing through the Supportive Housing program.

“The days of a Veteran having to choose between getting the VA benefits they deserve and the housing support they need are finally over,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement.

The collaborative program between HUD and the VA seeks to help homeless veterans and their families find permanent housing, as well as access to health care and mental health resources.

Prior to the policy change, VA disability benefits were listed as income when homeless veterans applied to live in supportive housing developments. If an income exceeded a fixed number, an applicant did not qualify for housing.

“No veteran should ever have to experience homelessness, but when they do, they should not face barriers to getting help they deserve,” HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman said in the announcement. “This policy change will ensure that veterans who are receiving the disability benefits they earned through service and sacrifice can access the housing assistance and supportive services they need to resolve their homelessness.”

While the national number of homeless has remained level, the number of unhoused veterans has decreased.

In 2007, more than 73,000 veterans were homeless, according to government data, a number that was halved as of last year.