Madison Reporter

More veterans facing homelessness will have expanded access to affordable housing in the City of Madison thanks to new funding and guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

HUD is awarding a total of $20 million to 243 public housing agencies across the country, including $68,320 for Madison’s Community Development Authority (CDA), to improve the HUD-Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. This program helps veterans experiencing homelessness find housing and support through the pairing of vouchers to help them pay their rent with case management and other supportive services through the VA.

HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Richard Monocchio joined several local leaders, including City of Madison Deputy Mayor for Housing and Sustainability Christie Baumel, CDA Executive Director and Department of Planning, Community and Economic Development Director Matt Wachter, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) Director Elmer Moore, and Heather Campbell and Danielle Kuhn of Veterans Affairs, in making the announcement at the City-County Building on Thursday afternoon.

The need for this type of support for veterans in the Madison area is significant: the CDA launched its HUD-VASH program in 2009 and has seen a 250% increase in vouchers since then. Over the past 15 years, the CDA has provided nearly $11 million in housing assistance payments to those who bravely put their lives on the line for our country. So far this year, the CDA is helping an average of 190 veterans per month through the HUD-VASH program.

With the additional funds announced Thursday, the CDA will be able to help veterans in the program pay for things like rental application fees, security deposits, and moving costs.

"With this additional funding and flexibility, we'll be able to continue to grow the HUD-VASH program and get veterans into housing faster with less money out of pocket,” Wachter said.

Staff Sgt. Juan Ramirez is one veteran who has seen his life turn around thanks to the HUD-VASH program.

Staff Sgt. Ramirez was a truck driver after his retirement from service, but when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, his employer shut down operations and he lost his job. Eventually, he also lost his home. He found his way to Wisconsin where he was living in a treeline near a Wal-Mart in Platteville. Suffering from suicidal thoughts, he called a veterans emergency hotline which connected him with VA in Madison that provided mental health care and referred him to HUD-VASH program. Now Staff Sgt. Ramirez has a steady place to stay and a new path in life: he began studying human services at Madison College working towards an Associate Degree.

"If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't have made it," Staff Sgt. Ramirez said at Thursday's event adding that he hopes he can be a role model for others.

More veterans in Madison area will now be able follow similar path thanks additional changes being made HUD-VASH by Biden-Harris Administration.

Those who make up 80% Area Median Income will now eligible previously eligibility limited those making up 50%. HUD changing definition income participants exclude veterans’ service-connected disability benefits previously those benefits counted income causing some exceed old thresholds.

Both these changes significantly increase number eligible program

In Madison 80% Area Median Income translates $68k single person or $88k household three according calculations.