$1.5 Million for Housing Program for Homeless Veterans

Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District announced that the Clark County Housing Authority is receiving nearly $1.5 million to provide rental assistance under a supportive housing program for homeless veterans.  The funding is provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and is for vouchers through the HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

 “Nevada’s veterans have made a tremendous sacrifice in service to our nation, yet too many of them do not have a roof over their head,” Congresswoman Titus said.  “With veterans facing higher unemployment than the rest of the population during this tough economic time, programs like this are critical to help get our veterans off the streets in to a place they can call home.”

 “U.S. VETS is pleased to hear about the funding for supportive housing for veterans.  In our efforts to provide housing and support services to homeless veterans since 2001 in Las Vegas, we know firsthand that the number of veterans living on the streets of Las Vegas far outweighs the available housing options,” said Shalimar Cabrera, Site Director of U.S. VETS.  “It is estimated by the VA that there are more than 4,000 homeless veterans in Las Vegas.  It is a tragedy to know that so many men and women who served our country are homeless.  It is our duty as a community to come together for a solution to addressing the tragedy.  HUD-VASH rental assistance is a giant step in the right direction for helping our veterans who need us.”

Through HUD-VASH, public housing authorities across the country provide permanent supportive housing and dedicated VA case managers for an estimated 10,000 homeless veterans.  The Clark County Housing Authority is receiving $1,494,483 for the program as part of the $75 million that is being awarded at this time through the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. 

HUD has allocated the housing vouchers to local public housing agencies across the country that are specifically targeted to homeless veterans and the proximity of a local VA Medical Center with the capacity to provide case management.  In addition to the rental assistance, VA medical centers provide supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans.

Titus Supports PAYGO Rules to Promote Fiscal Responsibility

Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District reiterated her commitment to fiscal responsibility by voting in favor of legislation to reinstitute statuary pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules.  The bill, which was introduced by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and has more than 160 cosponsors, passed by a vote of 265 to 166.

 “Under PAYGO, the government can only spend a dollar if it saves a dollar elsewhere.  Just as Nevada’s families must stick to a budget and live within their means, so too must the federal government,” Congresswoman Titus said.  “By reinstating PAYGO, this Congress will recommit to fiscal responsibility as we work to reduce our deficit and turn our economy around.”

 “This Congress inherited a fiscal and economic mess after eight years of economic policies that left our nation awash in red ink,” Titus added.  “We took unprecedented action to address the worst recession in a generation and make critical short-term investments in energy, health care, and education that will create jobs and get our economy back on track.  Now is the time to tighten our belt and reign in our nation’s deficit.  While this bill is not the answer to all of our fiscal problems, it will help prevent the hole from getting deeper.”

PAYGO rules were instituted during the 1990s and helped bring down the deficit and create a $5.6 trillion surplus.  This legislation requires that all new policies reducing revenues or expanding entitlement spending be offset over five and 10 years.