Advocacy Update: VASH in Danger! Call NOW!
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Advocacy Update | 29 Jul 2010
Author: National Alliance to End Homelessness
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House May Cut VASH Program Today
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Today, the House is expected to vote on H.R. 5850, the fiscal year (FY) 2011 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Bill. The bill includes a number of provisions to help people experiencing homelessness, including $2.2 billion for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program.
However, funding for the HUD - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program is in danger of being eliminated. An amendment has been introduced to reduce or eliminate funding for a number of programs, including HUD-VASH.
What We Need to Do:
- Call your Representative's office NOW. Ask to speak to the person who works on housing issues. You can find your Congressional office phone numbers by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
- Tell them to make sure their boss votes AGAINST Amendment #106 to H.R. 5850. Of particular importance is to maintain funding for the HUD-VA Supportive Housing program.
- The amendment is being sponsored by Representatives Peters (MI), Adler (NJ), Himes (CT), and Welch (VT). If these are your representatives, urge them to withdraw their amendment immediately.
Timing
The House is expected to vote on these bills early this afternoon, so please call NOW.
Background
HUD-VASH houses the most vulnerable homeless veterans, supplying rent assistance from HUD and medical treatment and case management from VA. It has proven effective at keeping even the most vulnerable veterans housed and off the streets.
The House Appropriations Committee included $75 million for 10,000 additional HUD-VASH vouchers in the FY 2011 spending bill for HUD programs. Unfortunately, four members of the House have filed Amendment #106, which would, among other things, eliminate this funding because HUD did not ask for it in its original budget request. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan has already testified in Congress that this program has changed since HUD put its budget request together; the program has gone from being slow to get started, to being rapidly implemented. Thousands of homeless veterans are in apartments, and, as Secretary Donovan testified, 10,000 additional HUD-VASH vouchers would be quickly and efficiently put to use.
The four members behind Amendment #106 are likely concerned about budget deficits. The way to address that, however, is through a comprehensive overhaul of all aspects of the budget, not by trying to pick off small spending items that would help the most vulnerable. Click here to see the text of the amendment.
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The Alliance works collaboratively with its local, state, and national partners to advance policies and programs that prevent and end homelessness.
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