HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) published a Federal Register notice on September 27 setting forth policies and procedures for administering the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The notice, which replaces special rules published in the Federal Register on March 23, 2012, includes provisions addressing family eligibility, portability, case management, and the turnover of HUD-VASH vouchers. It also outlines waivers or alternative requirements that are exemptions to the regular Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) tenant-based or project-based requirements that otherwise govern HUD-VASH assistance.
The HUD-VASH program combines HCV rental assistance for veterans experiencing homelessness with case management and clinical services provided at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers (VAMCs) and community-based outpatient clinics, or through a designated service provider (DSP) approved by the VA. Public housing agencies (PHAs) administer HUD-VASH vouchers.
New waivers and program flexibilities in the notice include:
- Allowing a PHA to act in the role of the VAMC or DSP for the purposes of family selection in cases where a PHA has been previously approved for this authority
- Allowing a PHA and owner to agree to amend a project-based voucher (PBV) Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract to re-designate a regular PBV unit as a unit specifically designated for HUD-VASH families
- Authorizing PHAs to apply separate voucher payment standards for HUD-VASH families without additional PIH approval
- Requiring PHAs to allow Special Housing Types, such as single-room occupancy (SRO) units, congregate housing, group homes, shared housing, and cooperative housing)
The notice also makes updates to existing requirements, including:
- Allowing PHAs to house HUD-VASH veterans referred by the VA in a project-based voucher unit without selecting from a PHA’s waiting lists or applying local preferences
- Providing an additional explanation regarding the process for portability moves for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
- Adding details regarding case management requirements from the VAMC or DSP
- Explaining that, in the case of a family break-up, the HUD-VASH assistance must stay with the HUD-VASH veteran; however, in the case of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, if the HUD-VASH veteran is the perpetrator the victim must continue to be assisted
- Explaining that a Moving to Work (MTW) PHA can apply their approved MTW provisions to their HUD-VASH program if approved by PIH’s Housing Choice Voucher office
- Explaining how HUD-VASH waivers and flexibilities apply to HUD-VASH PBVs
- Explaining HUD-VASH PBV exceptions under the Housing Opportunities Through Modernization Act (HOTMA). One example is that HUD-VASH PBVs are not subject to the PBV income-mixing cap that would otherwise limit the number of PBV units in a property to the greater of 25 units or 25% of all units. In other words, all units in a property could be PBVs if they are HUD-VASH PBVs
- Explaining that when a HUD-VASH family is eligible to move from its PBV unit, the family must be able to move with a HUD-VASH tenant-based voucher
- Adding an explanation of the HUD-VASH reallocation process through voluntary moves between PHAs and voucher recapture for future reallocation
The Federal Register notice is at: https://bit.ly/3CVCNpu
More information about the HUD-VASH program is on page 4-26 of NLIHC’s 2021 Advocates’ Guide.
More information about the regular Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is on page 4-1 of NLIHC’s 2021 Advocates’ Guide.
More information about the regular Project-Based Voucher (PBV) program is on page 4-8 of NLIHC’s 2021 Advocates’ Guide.