The US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the US Department of Veterans Affairs announced plans Dec. 8 to award $96,943 in rental vouchers to public housing agencies in Massachusetts to help 16 homeless veterans find permanent supportive housing. The award includes $25,783 in rental vouchers for the Chelmsford Housing Authority. In all, 1,984 vouchers totaling just over $13.5 million were awarded to housing authorities in 39 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The vouchers are being provided through the HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program, which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. The latest award comes two months after the two agencies awarded $1.9 million in vouchers in Massachusetts to assist more than 225 homeless veterans across the state. As HUD approaches its 50th anniversary in 2015, Secretary Julian Castro said in a statement e-mailed to the Globe that his agency is committed to “providing targeted assistance to those in need to ensure that every veteran has a home.” Since 2008, more than 68,000 vouchers have been awarded and over 74,000 homeless veterans have been served through the supportive housing program, according to Kristine Foye, a spokeswoman for HUD’s New England office.
Brenda Buote can be reached at brenda.buote@gmail.com.
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