Senator Britt Leads Bipartisan Effort to Secure Housing Access for Disabled Homeless Veterans
Bill would exclude disability benefits from income calculations for housing assistance eligibility
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act (HUDVA), aiming to ensure that disabled veterans experiencing homelessness retain access to essential housing support. The legislation, led by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), proposes to permanently exclude veterans' disability payments from income calculations used to determine eligibility for housing assistance under the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program.
The HUD-VASH program combines HUD's Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), aiming to support homeless veterans in securing stable housing. However, under previous policies, some disabled veterans were disqualified from the program because their disability benefits increased their income beyond eligibility thresholds.
"Our nation’s veterans made tremendous sacrifices to serve our country and protect their fellow Americans, and they deserve our utmost support to help access housing opportunities," said Senator Britt. "This commonsense bill would simply exclude disability benefits from HUD’s annual income calculation, so disabled veterans are not unfairly disqualified from accessing these vital services."
Senator Padilla emphasized the importance of the legislation, stating, "Veterans who have given so much for our country’s freedom deserve the right to a stable roof over their heads. Outdated income definitions shouldn’t mean that some of our country’s most disabled veterans are unable to access the housing assistance they need to survive."
The bill has garnered support from both sides of the aisle, with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) co-sponsoring the legislation. In the House, Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15) are leading companion legislation.
The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that approximately 400,000 veterans reside in the state, highlighting the potential impact of the legislation on a significant population.
For more information on the HUD-VASH program, visit HUD's official page.
