U.S. Reps. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) reintroduced the Home For The Brave Act of 2021, which addresses veteran homelessness while bolstering disabled veterans’ housing program access.
The legislation would exempt veterans’ VA disability benefits from counting toward total income as a means of determining eligibility for housing assistance programs via the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“Our veterans have put their lives at great risk to keep all of us safe back home,” Smucker said. “To return home and be priced out of housing assistance simply because they receive service-related disability benefits is just plain wrong. Our district has made great strides to eliminate veteran homelessness, and I am proud to stand with my constituents in this noble effort.”
Financial benefits for service-connected disabilities are presently considered as income regarding HUD eligibility for housing assistance programs. Some veterans are deemed ineligible for the housing programs because their disability benefits place them at a higher income level.
Carbajal said it is wrong to deny veterans access to housing assistance programs due to disability benefits received for service-related injury or illness.
“I am glad to work across the aisle on this legislation to assist our veterans experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity on the Central Coast and across the country,” he said. “They stepped up to defend our nation, and now Congress must step up for them by ending this egregious housing discrimination against our disabled veterans.”