Bikers on John Nolen for Ride the Drive.
City of Madison

CDA Awarded Additional Funding to House Veterans Experiencing Homelessness

posted 
The U.S. flag and the flags of U.S. military branches flying at Veterans Memorial Park in Madison

The City of Madison's Community Development Authority (CDA) is one of 265 Public Housing Authorities across the country receiving new funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help veterans facing homelessness find stable housing.

HUD is awarding the CDA funding to offer five additional housing vouchers through the HUD-VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) program. HUD-VASH has been one of the country's most effective ways to reduce veteran homelessness by providing supportive services, including access to healthcare, mental health services, substance use treatment, and employment assistance through the VA Medical Center – all while having the peace of mind of knowing they don't need to worry about where they are staying on any given night.

Madison was chosen for the additional voucher funding in part because of the great success we have had in connecting veterans to stable housing through the HUD-VASH program. Our program wouldn't be this successful without the supportive services provided by our partners at Madison's VA Medical Center. Those services combined with stable housing makes every additional voucher we can provide a life-changing opportunity for a local veteran and their family and plays a part in addressing the overall issue of homelessness in Madison.

—

Chad Ruppel, CDA Housing Director

The HUD-VASH program has helped hundreds of veterans and their families secure housing in Madison since the CDA first joined the program in 2009, when it received funding for 35 vouchers. With this most recent award, the CDA will now be administering a total of 219 HUD-VASH vouchers to veterans in our community. The CDA is entirely funded through HUD, and the number of vouchers the CDA is able to provide is dependent on federal funding. 

The need for this type of support for those who put their lives on the line for our country is ongoing. According to Coordinated Entry data from the Homeless Services Consortium of Dane County, an average of 30 veterans per month have been enrolled in emergency shelter and street outreach programs over the past calendar year, including 35 in the last month. 

The HUD-VASH program is available to veterans who receive a referral from a local VA Medical Center and make no more than 80% of the Area Median Income. For the Madison area, that translates to an annual income of $74,800 for a single person or $106,800 for a household of four people. 

  • $74,800 1-Person Household

    80% AMI Income Limit

  • $85,450 2-Person Household

    80% AMI Income Limit

  • $96,150 3-Person Household

    80% AMI Income Limit

  • $106,800 4-Person Household

    80% AMI Income Limit

If you or someone you know is interested in the program, you can get started by calling the VA at 608-256-1901 or the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans Hotline at 877-424-3838.

More Information and Resources

Departments:

Was this page helpful to you? * required