- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Policy and Law
A bipartisan bill to allow tribes greater flexibility in housing their veterans has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
The bill, the Tribal Veterans Voucher Flexibility Act, was introduced Tuesday by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Eli Crane (R-Ariz.). If enacted, the bill would direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish a voluntary process for reallocating unused vouchers under the Tribal HUD Veterans Affairs Supporting Housing demonstration program, known as HUD-VASH, according to a release from Davids’ office.
That program, implemented in 2015, combines HUD rental assistance with Department of Veterans Affairs case management and clinical services for Native American veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The program provides tribes with vouchers for Veterans Affairs housing services, but lacks a clear process for either returning unused vouchers or requesting additional ones. Under Davids’ and Crane’s bill, HUD would be required to launch a streamlined process that would allow tribes and housing authorities to notify HUD when they have, or need, extra vouchers.
“My mom and grandfather both served in the Army, and as a Native person, I know how much our communities value the veterans who have served our country,” Davids said in a statement. “Tribal nations know best what their communities and veterans need, and respecting tribal sovereignty means giving them the flexibility and resources to meet those needs.”
Crane said the bill would expand flexibility without loading up more bureaucracy or red tape between tribes and the services they need.
“The Tribal HUD-VASH program helps house tribal veterans in need, but the current system is not as efficient as it should be,” Crane said. “This is a sensible approach that makes better use of existing support without expanding the size and scope of the federal government.”
