The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it will provide $43.6 million in grants to homeless and at-risk veterans in Texas. This financing is part of a larger $806.4 million nationwide project, which includes the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and Grant and Per Diem (GPD) programs.
The SSVF initiative will provide $797.5 million across the country to assist veterans in promptly relocating, preventing homelessness, and securing stable housing. The GPD program will invest $8.9 million in transitional housing and case management for disadvantaged veterans, including women and elders.
The VA reports that since 2010, veteran homelessness has decreased by 52%, and by 2023, over 46,500 veterans should have permanent housing.
“We are making significant progress in reducing veteran homelessness, but there is much more work to be done,” stated VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “These grants allow VA, alongside community partners, to provide more housing and wraparound services to more homeless and at-risk veterans than ever before.”
These programs reflect the VA’s “Housing First” philosophy, which prioritizes providing housing first, followed by comprehensive support services. The news coincides with recent policy modifications to the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, aiming to enhance veterans’ eligibility for housing assistance.
