U.S. Representatives Peter Meijer (R-MI) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) today introduced the Combating Veteran Homelessness Act of 2021 to provide federal support to private and non-profit organizations that work to end veteran homelessness. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2021 report, more than 37,000 veterans are currently experiencing homelessness. While this number has decreased by nearly 50 percent in the last decade, more work must be done to address this problem.
"Far too many veterans experience homelessness after serving our country in uniform, and the federal government has a responsibility to address this issue and ultimately prevent it from happening," said Rep. Meijer. "There are many private and non-profit groups doing great work to combat veteran homelessness, and our bipartisan bill will make it easier for the VA to support their efforts. I am proud to join Rep. Torres in introducing this legislation that delivers on our shared goal of taking care of our veteran population. No veteran should have to worry about whether or not they will have a roof over their head after their service to our country."
“In order to honor the veterans who have served this country, and sacrificed so much, we must ensure that they have a stable roof over their heads,” said Rep. Torres. “This bipartisan bill will assist the organizations that do the hard work to combat veteran homelessness across this country. I am proud to introduce this important legislation to end veteran homelessness with Rep. Meijer. I am encouraged by the work of the VA and other organizations to support veterans experiencing homelessness, but it is clear more work must be done to truly tackle veteran homelessness.”
The Combating Veteran Homelessness Act of 2021 would:
- Ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the resources and support to aid veterans experiencing homelessness by providing organizations focused on combatting veteran homelessness with additional education and support.
- Remove the cap on training and technical assistance provided by the Homeless Program Office. Currently, the VA provides technical assistance to programs that provide shelter for unhoused veterans primarily during the grant application process. Funding for this support has not increased alongside the significant growth of these programs since they were established. The legislation would remove the current cap on technical assistance spending for these programs to ensure that grantees are receiving the best support possible.
