HATC Gets Additional Resources To Aid Homeless Veterans

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that additional funding for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers is being awarded to local housing authorities across the country. The Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) will receive a total of 15 new VASH vouchers.

These 15 vouchers give HATC greater capacity to provide much-needed affordable housing for homeless military veterans and their families. The VASH vouchers, administered in partnership with the Temple VA Medical Center/Austin Outpatient Clinic, will serve Veterans identified in Austin.

"At a time when federal affordable housing resources have become increasingly scarce, every new voucher is essential – especially for our homeless veterans and their families,” says HATC Executive Director, Patrick Howard.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and HUD established the HUD-VASH Program in 1992 with a primary goal of moving veterans and their families out of homelessness. The VA provides case management services by screening homeless veterans for program eligibility while HUD provides permanent housing subsidies to homeless veterans and their immediate families by allocating rental subsidies from its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.

A key component of the VASH program is the VA’s case management services. These services are designed to improve the veteran’s physical and mental health and enhance the veteran’s ability to live in safe and affordable permanent housing (in a community chosen by the veteran). The HUD-VASH program combines HCV rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided at VA medical centers in the community.

HATC has worked closely with organizations such as the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition(ECHO), Austin Travis County Integral Care Services (ATCIC), Foundation Communities, and others to address the broader issue of homelessness in Travis County. Administering the VASH vouchers is consistent with these existing efforts.

The Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) is committed to preserving the supply of affordablehousing for residents of Travis County, and is seeking additional development partners. Additionalinformation regarding HATC and SHFC can be found by visiting www.hatctx.com.