End Veteran Homelessness Act

Summary#

This bill changes the HUD-VASH supported housing program for veterans. It amends Title 38 and the United States Housing Act of 1937 to: prioritize case management for vulnerable homeless veterans; say when VA must provide case management and how it should respond if a veteran refuses or suspends case management; allow vouchers to be used for veterans who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or who are already in other housing programs if a HUD-VASH voucher is more appropriate; and add requirements for annual reporting by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (in coordination with HUD) and a Government Accountability Office report.

What it means for you#

  • Veterans who are homeless or at risk may be eligible for HUD-VASH rental vouchers. The bill explicitly allows vouchers for veterans already in other housing programs if a HUD-VASH voucher is a better fit.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs must prioritize veterans with disabilities and other vulnerabilities when assigning case managers.
  • If a veteran refuses case management, VA must keep trying to engage the veteran, and HUD, public housing authorities, and rental owners may not revoke assistance or evict a veteran solely because the veteran refused case management. Owners also may not penalize veterans when case management is suspended for health and safety reasons.
  • The VA and HUD must send Congress an annual report with data on veterans served, case manager staffing and practices, voucher allocation and use, and barriers to voucher use. The GAO must deliver a separate report within one year about program demographics, case management quality, hiring and retention, and housing stability metrics.

Expenses#

  • The bill includes an authorization: "such sums as may be necessary" may be appropriated for administrative fee payments to public housing agencies to help administer HUD-VASH vouchers and related leasing supports (for example, security deposit assistance).
  • No publicly available information on total projected costs, specific appropriation amounts, or broader budget estimates is included in the bill text or the provided metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.