HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) sent an email to public housing agency (PHA) directors on March 19 highlighting the ability of a PHA to voluntarily apply to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to serve as a Designated Service Provider (DSP) to issue HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to veterans without first receiving referrals from the VA. As a DSP, a PHA must refer a veteran to the VA for case management and must provide temporary case management until a VA medical center (VAMC) has completed intake of the veteran. By volunteering to serve as DSPs (without additional PIH funds), PHAs may be able to help homeless veterans more quickly move into stable, affordable housing.
In general, the HUD-VASH program combines HUD Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) for homeless veterans with case management and supportive services provided through a VAMC or DSP approved by the VA – typically a Continuum of Care (CoC)-funded service provider already working with homeless veterans. Typically, the VA refers veterans to a PHA to issue HUD-VASH vouchers, while the VA provides ongoing services for veterans at VAMCs and community-based outreach clinics (CBOCs).
A PIH email sent by Richard Monocchio, PIH principal deputy assistant secretary, includes a link to a VA webpage that contains links through which a PHA can apply to the VA for DSP status.
Read the March 19 PIH email at: https://tinyurl.com/2rx6uzmt
Read the VA “Public Housing Agencies as HUD-VASH Designated Service Providers” webpage.
Read the VA “HUD-VASH Collaborative Case Management with Designated Service Provider Application Process” webpage.
More information about HUD-VASH vouchers is on page 4-31 of NLIHC’s 2024 Advocates’ Guide.