Reed Announces Nearly $115,000 to Help Homeless Vets
WASHINGTON, DC – July 15, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced that Rhode Island will receive $114,275 in federal funding to provide housing assistance to homeless veterans.
This funding, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) will provide rental housing vouchers to help 15 local veterans and their families secure stable housing.
“This critical funding will help veterans and their families put a roof over their heads and get access to the care they need. Our veterans have sacrificed greatly to serve our country, and we need to make sure they have access to the benefits and support they earned,” said Reed, who serves on the Appropriations Committee .
Despite attempts by House Republicans to zero out funding for HUD-VASH, Reed not only helped secure $50 million in VASH appropriations for fiscal year 2011 to help end homelessness for 7,690 homeless veterans nationwide, but also ensured that Rhode Island would receive an additional allocation of HUD-VASH vouchers.
The HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and supportive services provided by the VA at the Providence VA Medical Center.
Senator Reed has been a strong supporter of housing assistance and homelessness prevention initiatives. He introduced the Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act and President Obama signed Reed’s Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act into law. The HEARTH Act reauthorized the landmark McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and simplified and consolidated three competitive HUD homelessness assistance programs into one program and allowed more funding to flow to communities that can demonstrate a commitment to accomplishing the goals of preventing and ending homelessness. For fiscal year 2011, HEARTH Act programs were funded at $1.9 billion, an increase of $40 million over the 2010 enacted level.
