Mayor Lueb, in a concerted effort with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, has notched a significant win in the sphere of veterans' housing policy, a move that's poised to have a tangible impact on the lives of those who've served our country. Tireless advocacy and strategic collaboration within the USCM Task Force on Homelessness brought about substantial policy reforms from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), directly benefitting veterans in need of housing assistance, according to the City of Tigard news release.
Two key policy shifts from HUD shape this new landscape; firstly, veterans’ service-connected disability benefits will now be excluded when calculating income eligibility for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, a significant change that eliminates the gut-wrenching choice many disabled veterans faced between claiming benefits and securing a roof over their heads and secondly the income eligibility threshold for veterans has been uplifted to 80% of the Area Median Income—an uptick from the former 50%, thus potentially extending the reach of the program to a broader demographic of veterans who were previously unable to qualify.
As reported by official statements, these policy updates herald a marked improvement in housing accessibility for veterans, aligning with broader community-focused initiatives. Specifically, in Tigard, such federal policy gains dovetail with the City Council's ongoing commitment to "Reduce Houselessness,” a local push featuring the ramp-up of shelter capacity along with enhanced support services, and concerted efforts directed at mitigating the community impacts of homelessness.
