Yesterday, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the Preventing Homelessness for Veteran Families Act to reauthorize the VA's Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) program for FY23 and FY24. The SSVF program makes grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives to rapidly re-house veteran families and prevent homelessness for those at risk. The legislation also funds a nationwide expansion of the VA's Shallow Subsidy program, which provides rental subsidies for very low-income veterans to prevent them from falling into homelessness.
Harbor Care is an organization in Nashua, New Hampshire that runs the Veterans FIRST program to help veterans facing homelessness get access to affordable housing.
"The best thing we can do for our veterans facing homelessness is help them avoid it altogether," said David Tille, Director of Veteran Services at Harbor Care. "The Supportive Services for Veterans Families program ensures that both our veterans and their families can access the housing support and services they need to remain safely and stably housed. Authorizing this program will help organizations like ours continue to serve veterans in the months and years to come, and we're thankful to Congressman Pappas for his leadership in introducing this legislation."
The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program is the first homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing program administered by VA and the first homeless program designed to serve veterans with families.
"Far too many servicemen and women return from their deployment displaced or without a place to call home," said Congressman Chris Pappas, "Veterans and their families should never have to worry about keeping a roof over their heads. That's why I'm introducing legislation to reauthorize the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program and fund a nationwide expansion of the Shallow Subsidy program to provide rental assistance to veterans and their families. We have a duty to ensure our veterans can access the benefits they have earned including affordable housing for their families, and this legislation is an important step forward."
Background:
In October 2021, Pappas introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand the Department of Labor (DOL) Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) to all 50 states and U.S. territories.
In April 2021, Pappas also introduced the Affordable Housing for Homeless Veterans Act to increase the number of affordable housing options to help reduce the recent uptick in veteran homelessness. The Affordable Housing for Homeless Veterans Act passed the House in May 2021.
Issues: Veterans
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