This week, Congressman Mike Thompson, D-Yolo, co-sponsored The End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2024, which seeks to address casework backlogs and expand the eligibility for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.
The program would allow more veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to access permanent housing.
According to the California Veterans Data Central, an estimated 10,395 of California’s roughly 1.5 million veterans are homeless.
The 2023 point-in-time count found that over 180,000 Californians were experiencing homelessness. That means that roughly 6% of the state’s homeless population are veterans.
In 2022, a Yolo County point-in-time survey identified 746 people experiencing homelessness. However, the county did not collect data on veteran status.
“Our district, like much of California, is experiencing a serious housing crisis,” Thompson said. “Too often, veterans experience housing insecurity and homelessness at a higher rate than others. Nearly one-third of all homeless veterans live in California. We have an obligation to ensure our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for our country, have roofs over their heads.”
The act will:
* Close the gap between the nearly 30,000 existing, unused HUD-VASH vouchers and the homeless veterans still in need of housing.
* Expand HUD-VASH eligibility and the permanent housing and supportive services it provides to thousands of veterans and their families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and are currently ineligible for the program.
* Promote efficiency and improve resource management in HUD-VASH by enabling full voucher utilization and ensuring veterans who need case management receive it.
* Allow veterans who currently receive housing assistance through other federal programs, like the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, to transfer into HUD-VASH to receive supportive services provided through the VA, thereby freeing up HCV vouchers or other subsidies for non-veterans in need.
* Continue to prioritize chronically homeless veterans and veterans with chronic disabilities for HUD-VASH support.
* Adopt flexibilities from the Emergency Housing Voucher program to allow public housing authorities to cover administrative fees to facilitate leases for veterans.
Thompson is a Vietnam combat veteran and co-chair of the Military Veterans Caucus. He is a longtime advocate for veterans and recently held veteran town halls in the Fourth District to support local veterans in accessing health care services, including PACT Act benefits.
The bill was introduced to the House by California Representatives Mark Takano, Maxine Waters and Mike Levin and will need 218 votes to pass.
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