Reducing homelessness is one of three key goals under the Veterans Affairs (VA) budget proposal for 2011.
The budget plan includes $4.2 billion in 2011 to prevent and reduce homelessness among vets, including $3.4 billion for core medical services and $799 million for specific homeless programs.
Overall, the request seeks an additional $294 million in funding to end homelessness.
Although most housing programs are under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the VA said it is looking to assist the approximately 131,000 vets who are homeless on a given night.
Working with HUD, the VA wants to reduce number of homeless vets to 59,000 by June 2012.
The plan calls for $218 million for the Homeless Grants and Per Diem program. About $151 million is requested for the HUD-VA supportive housing program to provide case management services to vets receiving Sec. 8 vouchers. And, $302 million is proposed to go to continue the VA’s outreach efforts to homeless vets.
