Costa Announces $379,000 to Help Fresno Homeless Veterans

FRESNO, CA – May 30, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Rep. Jim Costa announced today that the Fresno Housing Authority and the Fresno Veterans Affairs Medical Center have been awarded $378,840 to provide case management and rental assistance to 70 homeless veterans. The Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program is jointly operated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Since the HUD-VASH program began in 2009, there has been a 17 percent drop in chronic homelessness amongst veterans nationwide.

“When the men and women of our military take their oath to protect and serve, we as citizens also make a pledge to support them when they return,” said Costa. “Fulfilling our sacred promise requires us to keep working until every veteran has a place to call home and the tools necessary to lead productive lives. This award puts us one step closer to ending homelessness among Valley veterans.”

Through the HUD-VASH program, homeless veterans receiving services through the VA can be referred to local housing authorities to obtain VASH vouchers for rental assistance. By combining case management from the VA and housing assistance, the program aims to give long-time homeless veterans the support needed to obtain and maintain permanent housing. Locally, Fresno Housing Authority partners with the Fresno Veterans Affairs Medical Center to provide support to eligible veterans with the help of HUD-VASH funding.

Fresno Housing Authority Executive Director and CEO Preston Prince added, “We are looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the VA in our community and jointly serving even more veterans through this program. The Fresno Housing Authority currently serves 145 veterans through the HUD-VASH program and this award will enable us to expand our housing and supportive services to even more deserving veterans.”