Congressman Cohen Announces $622,081 HUD Grant to Assist Homeless Veterans

The HUD-VASH Program is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and HUD which provides permanent housing subsidies and case management services to homeless veterans with mental and addictive disorders. HUD allocates rental subsidies from its Housing Choice Voucher program to the VA, which then distributes them to veterans who have been screened and approved by the VA to participate in the program.

“I am very pleased to announce this important grant for the Memphis Housing Authority,” said Congressman Cohen. “This award will give much-needed rental assistance to homeless veterans under a supportive housing program in Memphis. The government has an unconditional obligation to take care of the people we trust to protect our freedom after they have served their country. This is good governmental policy, and I applaud HUD for instituting this program and awarding these monies to the Memphis Housing Authority.”

Congressman Cohen added, “This Congress has made honoring our troops and veterans a top priority over the past 18 months, and as Memorial Day approaches, we will continue to fight for better benefits for our nation’s heroes. Already, we have passed the largest health care funding increase in the history of the VA, and last week, the House approved a new GI bill for the 21st century. The new GI bill would restore full, four-year college scholarships to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. This week, the House will consider a number of pieces of common sense legislation to improve service for our veterans, including a bill to expand and improve aid to veterans suffering from substance abuse disorders (H.R. 5554), of which I am a cosponsor.”

- 30 -

Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, 202-225-3265
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, 202-225-3265