The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA provides these services for participating Veterans at VA medical centers (VAMCs) and community-based outreach clinics.
HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)
HUD-VASH Qs & As
These Qs & As serve as a supplement to the HUD-VASH Operating Requirements published in the Federal Register on May 6 and 19, 2008.
Eligibility and Admission
A: The case managers at the local Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) are responsible for referring eligible homeless veterans to the Waukegan Housing Authority. Therefore, any interested homeless veteran should contact their local VAMC directly. HUD has posted a list of VAMCs and participating PHAs on the HUD website: http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/vash/.ash/
A: No, only the VA will make that determination.
A: The PHA is responsible for income and citizenship verifications. The case manager may compile the documents and look them over, but the Waukegan Housing Authority has the final say regarding their appropriateness.
A: After the VA refers an eligible homeless veteran to the Waukegan Housing Authority, the Waukegan Housing Authority will determine income eligibility and screen for lifetime sex-offender registrants.
A: As in the regular voucher program, the Waukegan Housing Authority must determine whether a family is income eligible prior to the provision of HUD-VASH assistance. If the family is over income based on the most recently published income limits for the family size, the family will be ineligible for HCV assistance. After admission, income limits do not apply.
A: No, the Waukegan Housing Authority will not be able to deny admission to the HCV program to an otherwise eligible HUD-VASH family that previously participated in the PHA’s HCV or public housing program (that presumably left owing money or was not in good standing). The Waukegan Housing Authority will only be able to screen for, and deny admission to, a family member that is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program.
A: The answer above regarding screening applies to receiving PHAs as well as initial PHAs.
A: Unless the family member that is subject to lifetime registration under a state sex offender law is the homeless veteran, the remaining family member/s may be served if the family agrees to remove the sex offender from its family composition.
A: No. The prohibition against screening families for anything other than lifetime sex offender status, applies to all family members, not just the veteran. The HUD-VASH operating requirements state that, with the exception of screening to determine if any household member is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program, the PHA does not have the authority to screen “potentially eligible families” or deny assistance in accordance with 982.552 or 982.553.
A: The provisions of 24 CFR Section 982.551(h)(2) apply when a family members is added to the assisted HUD-VASH household after initial occupancy. Other than the birth, adoption or court-awarded custody of a child, any other family member must be approved by the PHA in accordance with its policies.