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HUD awards $155K to Virginia to help veterans experiencing homelessness

Crystal Graham
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded 26 housing vouchers valued at $155,891 to the City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

The funding was part of $16.1 million allocated in HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers to 71 public housing agencies across the country.

The award is designated to help homeless veterans and their families find and sustain permanent housing.

“HUD is excited to award new HUD-VASH vouchers to 71 public housing agencies across the country to address homelessness among veterans,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “These vouchers will help us get homeless veterans and their families off the streets and into affordable housing. This investment represents our commitment to making veteran homelessness a thing of the past.”

The HUD-VASH program provides housing and an array of supportive services to veterans experiencing homelessness by combining rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“The HUD-VASH program is a vital tool in our efforts to end veteran homelessness, said HUD Regional Administrator Matthew Heckles,” “Thanks to the joint efforts of HUD, VA and USICH, we have made significant progress in recent years, reducing the number of homeless veterans.”

According to HUD, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has decreased by 11 percent since early 2020 thanks to the efforts of HUD, VA and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. This represents the most significant decline in more than five years.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.