HousingWireHousingWire
Following a tour of the Oneida Tribe reservation in Wisconsin this week, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner announced that the department will be adding $2.2 million to the Tribal HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program.
Turner toured the reservation with tribal leaders and U.S. Rep. Tony Wied (R-Wis.). The new funds are the result of $2.2 million in unspent fiscal year 2017 funds that will be redirected into the VASH program for tribes.
VASH provides “rental assistance for Native American veterans who are — or who are risk of becoming — homeless in Tribal communities across the nation,” according to HUD’s announcement.
The funds are “now available for grants to support the expansion of rental assistance for Native American Veterans who qualify,” the department added. Tribes and Tribal Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) are invited to apply for benefits through a dedicated form.
“It was informative and inspiring to see how Oneida Tribal leadership serve their members, including by providing housing and wrap-around services to create economic opportunity and pathways to self-sufficiency for Native American families,” Turner said.
“For about a decade, the Oneida Tribe has utilized HUD-VASH to support Native American veterans with a specialized set of tools and resources. Today’s announcement of newly available funds will help expand this impactful program to more Native American veterans across the country.”
Turner also described the role that HUD-VASH has played for tribal communities nationwide.
“Alongside our partners at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the HUD-VASH program offers tailored services by combining HUD’s housing voucher rental assistance with case management and clinical services provided by the VA,” he said.
“The Tribal HUD-VASH program is currently housing over 500 veterans in 29 tribal communities across our great country. Over 1,000 veterans have been served since the program’s inception.”
Tehassi Hill, chairman of the Oneida Nation, added that the tribe’s partnership with HUD dates back to the early 1960s.
“Across the country, tribes continue to have unmet needs on reservations, and projects such as VASH move tribes closer to closing the gap,” Hill said. “We’re pleased to have Secretary Turner come to Oneida for a firsthand experience and tour of our housing community.”
VA Secretary Doug Collins added that his department “look[s] forward to working with HUD to put this additional funding to great use helping Native American Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness find shelter and self-sufficiency.”
