Housing Assistance for Veterans
HUD-VASH is a unique partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that provides long-term case management, supportive services, and permanent housing support for chronically homeless Veterans. Using a Housing First approach, the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with case management and clinical services provided by VA.
Ongoing VA case management, health, and other supportive services will be made available to homeless veterans at various VA Medical Center (VAMC) supportive services sites across the nation.
Veterans must be referred to ATCOG by a VAMC to participate in VASH.
What is HUD-VASH?
In 1992, VA and HUD established the HUD-VASH program to serve the neediest, most vulnerable homeless Veterans and their immediate families. VA provides case management and eligibility screening services, while HUD allocates permanent housing subsidies from its Housing Choice Voucher program. The primary goal of this joint program is to move Veterans and their families out of homelessness.
A key component of the program is VA’s case management services. These services are designed to improve the Veteran’s physical and mental health and enhance the Veteran’s ability to live in safe and affordable permanent housing of his or her choosing. Case management services promote housing stability and support recoveries from physical and mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
As the program’s primary goal is to end homelessness and promote housing stability, HUD-VASH does not require a set period of sobriety in order for a Veteran to be considered eligible for the program, nor does non-compliance with HUD-VASH case management services necessarily lead to loss of the housing voucher. However, it is expected that a Veteran remain in case management, even with possible fluctuations in the Veteran’s living situation and treatment participation. Thus, a Veteran enrolled in HUD-VASH who relapses to substance abuse and re-enters treatment would not necessarily be discharged from HUD-VASH case management; in fact, such case management provides important continuity of care and an opportunity to assist the Veteran in his or her recovery.
Every Veteran enrolled in the HUD-VASH program is assigned a Case Manager. Together, they develop a Housing Stabilization Plan, a recovery-focused plan
that identifies housing needs and sets treatment goals requiring active participation from the Veteran. In order to be successful, the Housing Stabilization Plan must reflect each Veteran’s individual needs. The Veteran and the Case Manager will review and revise the Housing Stabilization Plan on a regular basis to meet the changing clinical and psychosocial needs of HUD-VASH clients. It is critical that the Veteran client participate in this process and endorse each iteration of the Housing Stabilization Plan.
Who is Eligible for HUD-VASH?
There are two components to HUD-VASH program eligibility – VA requirements and Public Housing Authority (PHA) guidelines. ATCOG is a PHA.
Veterans meet VA requirements when they
• Are eligible for VA Health Care Services,
• Require case management services in order to obtain and sustain independent community housing, and
• Meet the McKinney-Vento Act definition of homelessness by either
1. Lacking a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence, or
2. Identifying as his or her primary residence a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional or temporary housing facility, or public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation.
The HUD-VASH program targets VA’s most vulnerable homeless Veterans, including those with medical, mental health and or substance use disorders. Its
primary target population is the Veteran who has experienced multiple episodes of homelessness, is suffering from mental health and/or medical complications, has been homeless four or more times in the prior three years, or who has been continuously homeless for one year or longer.
VA considers both single Veteran applicants and Veterans with dependent family members. However, since HUD-VASH is designed for the homeless Veteran, the household must include the eligible Veteran and cannot include any family members with a Lifetime Sexual Offender Registry status.
As the PHA, ATCOG’s guidelines become important once the Veteran’s eligibility has been favorably determined by VA and he or she is approved by the HUD-VASH Case Manager. At that time, the Veteran must complete a ATCOG’s HCV application and follow the program guidelines to obtain housing. ATCOG will expect proof of a qualifying income level, and will also expect participating Veterans to follow the landlord’s tenancy expectations.
WHAT is ATCOG's Role in the HUD-VASH Program?
ATCOG is a Public Housing Authority (PHA). We are responsible for doing the intake process for eligible tenants, verifying income, and calculating subsidy amounts. We conduct initial, interim, and annual income verifications.
ATCOG is responsible for inspecting units to ensure they meet quality standards. We conduct initial and annual reinspections of housing units.
ATCOG processes HCV payments to landlords. In order to receive the housing subsidy, the Veteran must abide by the terms of the lease and pay his/her share of the rent.
The Ark-Tex Council of Government does business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law (The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988). It is illegal to discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin in the sale or rental of housing or residential lots; in advertising the sale or rental of housing; in the financing of housing; in the provision of real estate brokerage services; in the appraisal of housing; and blockbusting is also illegal. Anyone who feels he or she has been discriminated against may file a complaint of housing discrimination: 1-800-669-9777 (Toll Free), 1-800-927-9275 (TTY), or online at www.hud.gov/fairhousing.