O'Halleran Introduces Bill to End Veteran Homelessness

Press Release

Today, Congressman Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01) and House Veterans Affairs Committee Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Chairman Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the End Veteran Homelessness Act, legislation to expand the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development -- VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program to more veterans, reducing the number of homeless veterans and increasing the utilization of vouchers.

Beginning in 1992, the HUD-VASH program has grown from being able to provide 10,000 vouchers to close to 100,000. However, due a shortage of case managers, the number of HUD-VASH vouchers available to veterans has been stuck around 80,000 for the past several years, even as Congress continues to add new vouchers to the program. The End Veteran Homelessness Act would change the requirement that a veteran served by HUD-VASH is only assigned a case manager if he or she is determined to require case management. The change would allow veterans to directly receive a HUD-VASH voucher without being subject to the bottleneck created by the VA case management requirement. Nothing in this bill precludes the hiring of more VA case managers to ease the bottleneck as well.

"Access to reliable housing is critical for the safety, health, and long-term success of our veterans; we cannot allow red tape to stand in the way of this essential resource for those who have selflessly served our country," said Rep. O'Halleran. "I've long worked to expand and improve HUD-VASH and I'm proud to introduce much-needed legislation to break down needless barriers and address the high rates of veteran homelessness we're seeing in our communities."

"The brave men and women who served our country should never be without a roof over their heads," said Rep. Levin. "The End Veteran Homelessness Act will expand the HUD-VASH Program to ensure that homeless veterans and their families receive the resources and services they deserve by filling gaps in eligibility. As Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I will continue working to support our veterans and ensure they receive the benefits they have earned."

The End Veteran Homelessness Act would:

* Amend the HUD-VASH Program by removing the requirement that every veteran who is provided a voucher in HUD-VASH must be assigned to, and seen as needed by, a case manager
* Expand the pool of veterans potentially eligible for assistance through HUD-VASH to include those who are formerly homeless or at-risk of homelessness

In 2019, O'Halleran successfully secured a HUD-VASH pilot program for veterans living in Pinal County, AZ, correcting a VA audit that had not fully encapsulated the number of veterans in need living in the area.

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