Oklahoma Housing Grants
Funding amounting to $381,311 is to be provided by the federal government to benefit at least 90 homeless vets in the state of Oklahoma. U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric K. Shinseki announced that this funding will be released and divided into three public housing agencies in Oklahoma.
This is to be able to do more case management for the homeless veterans and to be able to supply more permanent housing through Section 8 vouchers, Oklahoma housing grants, and military grants for housing.
Through this additional funding, the total number of vouchers in Oklahoma will then be 345 already. More detailed information regarding the list of cities receiving funding, the housing centers and corresponding VA Centers, new vouchers, total vouchers along with previous ones, and today’s funding will be released at a later date.
Military Grants for Housing thru Oklahoma Housing Grants
This program is administered by HUD, VA, and various local public housing agencies throughout the country. All the permanent supportive housing that will be released will be provided through this program for the benefit of all the homeless vets across the nation.
The $381,311 worth of Oklahoma housing grants that will be given to the state of Oklahoma is in part of the $72.6 million budget for Fiscal Year 2012 to support housing needs of around 10,000 homeless veterans today. This funding includes grants for buying a home across the 50 U.S. states along with the District of Columbia.
This military grants for housing program is created in response to the government’s realization of the national disgrace this homelessness of veterans is bringing to the country. As these people who were once in uniform have served their country, the government together with HUD knows that it is time to give back what these veterans deserve.
Through HUD-VASH, there already has been a significant decrease in the number of veterans living on the streets. The government hopes to see more progress and aims to end veteran homelessness by 2015.
As VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki had put to words:
“Under the leadership of President Obama, we have made significant progress in the fight to end homelessness among veterans, but more work remains. The partnership between the federal government and community agencies across the country has strengthened all of our efforts to honor our veterans and keep us on track to prevent and eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015.”
The Government’s Roadmap for Grants for Buying a Home
In addition to HUD-VASH, the Obama Administration had created a program that will serve as their roadmap on how they will be working with state and local agreements in the continuous battle against chronic homelessness. This program is called “Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness”.
The government hopes to determine the root cause of all these homelessness especially with former servicemen and women.
Along with all these government programs, the VA Medical Centers (VAMC) are responsible for doing the case management of each veteran and providing them with supportive services. They work closely with each eligible veteran to know their needs and capabilities to be able to refer them to the right local public housing agency such as when they need information about Oklahoma housing grants that will be able to help them.