Fattah Announces Philadelphia Housing Authority Grant for Veterans Housing

The funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will increase access to affordable housing for homeless veterans and their families

News provided by

Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

Dec 09, 2014, 04:33 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) announced today that the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) will receive $220,020 to enable homeless veterans and their families greater access to affordable housing in the community. The grant from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is part of the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Tenant Based Voucher awards; seven housing organizations throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania received awards.

HUD-VASH is a joint agency program focused on ending homelessness among our nation's veterans. In addition to offering vouchers to eligible veterans for affordable housing, the program provides case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Congressman Fattah sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Military Construction, Veterans Affair, and Related Agencies which provides funding and oversight to ensure that all veterans receive the services they have earned as a result of their sacrifices and service to the nation.

"This program eliminates one of the greatest barriers to permanent housing for our nation's veterans—affordable housing options—while providing support services to help them sustain independent living," Congressman Fattah said. "Working to end veterans homelessness continues to be a top priority of this Presidential Administration, and these grants are part of this long-term solution. I am proud of PHA'S continued work addressing this problem in our community, and connecting veterans and their families with the resources and care they need."

Earlier this fall, HUD, the VA and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness released a national estimate of veteran homelessness in the United States that showed a decline of 33 percent in the number of homeless veterans since 2010. The report, which surveyed thousand of cities and counties across the country, also revealed a nearly 40 percent decrease in the number of unsheltered veterans sleeping on the street.

Since 2008 more than 68,000 vouchers have been awarded and over 80,000 homeless veterans have been served through the HUD-VASH program.

Congressman Fattah has been a long-time supporter of the Philadelphia Housing Agency. Early in his career, he led the groundbreaking effort to replace Philadelphia's decaying public housing high-rises and provided a path forward to improve living conditions for thousands of Philadelphia families. He has also been instrumental in providing billions of dollars to cities under HUD's HOPE VI program to improve public housing infrastructure.

For additional information on the HUD-VASH program visit: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/hcv/vash

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SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah