Federal housing agency adopts changes to improve veteran access to assistance programs

WASHINGTON D.C. – On Thursday, the Biden Administration announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will no longer count veteran's disability benefits as part of total income when determining eligibility.

Additionally, the federal housing agency also now requires that public housing agencies that administer HUD Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing programs to set initial income eligibility for veterans at 80 percent of Area Median Income instead of the previous 50 percent shared the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a press release about the changes.

"No veteran should ever have to experience homelessness, but when they do, they should not face barriers to getting help they deserve," said Acting Secretary of HUD, Adrianne Todman. "This policy change will ensure that veterans who are receiving the disability benefits they earned through service and sacrifice can access the housing assistance and supportive services they need to resolve their homelessness."

Central Coast Congressman Salud Carbajal, a veteran himself, alongside Congressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) first introduced legislation to make these changes in 2017 and in every Congressional term since.

"It is wrong to deny veterans access to housing assistance programs due to disability benefits they receive for service-related injury or illness," explained Congressman Carbajal. "This change will make housing more affordable and accessible on the Central Coast and across the country, and support those who stepped up to defend our nation by ending this housing discrimination against our disabled veterans."

Other agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, already do not consider veteran's service-related benefits as income shared Congressman Carbajal's Office in a press release about Tuesday's changes.