Homeless veterans on the SouthCoast, Cape Cod and in Rhode Island are getting the message that there is room at the inn, finally.

Thanks to some changes made in Washington within the last 18 months, the partnership between HUD and the VA, known as HUD-VASH, rental assistance vouchers have increased because of $220, 000 to support 27 additional rental vouchers. In total, there are now 436 vouchers available for homeless vets here on the SouthCoast and in the surrounding area.

The new vouchers were made possible because of a unique partnership between HUD and the VA to the tune of $35 million in grants to help combat veteran homelessness nationwide earlier this month.

I've been told that with this partnership program, officials at VA medical centers, like in the one in Providence, will assess veterans experiencing homelessness before referring them to local agencies for vouchers. Veterans participating in the program then rent privately-owned housing and contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward the rent.

I'm glad to see things shaping up in Washington and locally with great programs like HUD-VASH. It's critical that we hold true to the commitment to help those who sacrificed so much for our nation's well being.

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