WASHINGTON — Approximately 20 homeless veterans living on the streets and in shelters in Maine will soon find a permanent place to call home.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric K. Shinseki announced that HUD will provide $60 million to local public housing agencies across the country to provide permanent supportive housing to homeless veterans, many of whom are living with chronic disabling conditions.
Maine will receive $140,062 to assists its homeless veterans.
In Maine, the Portland Housing Authority, in partnership with the Maine VA Health Care System, Portland Community-Based Outreach Clinic, was awarded $140,062 to fund 20 vouchers.
The supportive housing assistance announced today is provided through the HUDVeterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. Since 2008, a total of 48,385 vouchers have been awarded nationwide and 42,557 formerly homeless veterans are currently in homes.
“Our veterans have answered the call of duty. That’s why our nation has its own duty — to help homeless servicemen and women rejoin the very communities they have given so much to protect,” said Donovan. “These grants make it possible to help more veterans obtain housing, bringing us steps closer to our goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015.”
The recent grants are part of $75 million appropriated this year to support the housing needs of homeless veterans. Local public housing authorities provide rental assistance to homeless veterans while nearby VA Medical Centers offer supportive services and case management. This is the first round of the 2013 HUD-VASH funding. HUD expects to announce more funding this summer.
Veterans participating in the program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam and Puerto Rico.
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