The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced participation in a demonstration project with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund housing assistance and other support services to veterans in five select communities near military bases in Florida, California, New York, Texas and Washington.
The departments are providing an additional $15 million in grants to the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program, which fights homelessness among veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq by providing access to stable housing, health care, job training and outreach.
The grants will go to five communities — or "continuums of care" – and be used in part to track client-level data provided by the VA and DoD to target veterans who meet the eligibility criteria.
VA said it would act as the primary liaison to the grantee and provide eligible veterans with access to VA health care and benefits. The Department of Labor is also providing employment services.
Through HUD, the funds would provide short or medium-term rental assistance, including security deposits, utility payments and case management, while the program will offer community-based supportive services appropriate for veterans and their families, including child care and family services.
