Oxnard, CA – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D – Westlake Village) announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded additional housing vouchers to the City of San Buenaventura to help homeless veterans transition into safe and affordable housing. The City of San Buenaventura received a $36,203 award, which will support 10 new HUD-VASH vouchers.
“The number of homeless veterans in Ventura County and across America is simply unacceptable,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “We have a moral obligation to ensure that each and every man and woman who served our country receive our support upon their return to civilian life. I am pleased that Ventura County veterans will continue to benefit from the HUD-VASH program, which is critical to eliminating veterans’ homelessness.”
“We are honored, particularly in this time of program funding reductions, to have received these ten additional HUD-VASH vouchers,” said Denise Wise, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura. “This funding increase will have a great impact in our community because it will allow the Housing Authority, in partnership with the Veteran’s Administration, to provide housing as a platform to better opportunities and necessary services for ten homeless veterans.”
HUD-VASH is a joint HUD/VA initiative that provides specially-designated Section 8 rental assistance vouchers to homeless veterans while the VA provides supportive services. In November 2009, the VA announced a plan to end homelessness within five years. Both the VA and HUD have taken steps to increase housing and services for homeless veterans. Congress allocated $75 million for the program in FY2014. Between FY2008 and FY2014, Congress has appropriated a total of $500 million to support initial funding of HUD-VASH vouchers, enough to fund approximately 68,000 vouchers.
Issues: 113th Congress, Affordable Housing, Veterans' Affairs