{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://ruppersberger.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-team-maryland-announce-federal-grants-to-provide-homes-for", "Ruppersberger, Team Maryland Announce Federal Grants to Provide Homes for Homeless Veterans", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger", "R000576", "ruppersberger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, together with U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, as well as U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer, Elijah Cummings, John Sarbanes and John Delaney (all D-Md.) yesterday announced $491,367 in federal grants through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide permanent homes for homeless veterans in Maryland. The Hagerstown Housing Authority will receive $219,521, the Calvert County Housing Authority will receive $198,901, and the Baltimore County Housing Authority will receive $72,945.\nThe supportive housing assistance is provided through the HUD \u2013 Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program, which combines rental assistance from HUD with case management and clinical services provided by VA. As of June 2014, the HUD-VASH program served a total of 74,019 veterans since 2008.\n\u201cTaking care of our veterans isn\u2019t just a top priority \u2013 it\u2019s an obligation,\u201d said Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. \u201cSince 2010, we have seen a 33 percent reduction in homelessness among our nation\u2019s heroes and this funding will take us one step closer to the day when all veterans have a roof over their head.\u201d\nHUD-VASH is a critical part of the Obama Administration\u2019s commitment to end Veteran and long-term chronic homelessness in 2015. Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness serves as a roadmap for how the federal government will work with state and local communities to confront the root causes of homelessness, especially among former servicemen and women. HUD\u2019s annual \u201cpoint in time\u201d estimate of the number of homeless persons and families nationwide for 2014 found that Veteran homelessness fell by 33 percent (or 24,837 people) since 2010. On a single night in January 2014, 49,993 veterans were homeless.\nLocal public housing authorities provide rental assistance to homeless Veterans while nearby VA Medical Centers (VAMC) offer supportive services and case management.\nVAMCs work closely with homeless Veterans then refer them to public housing agencies for these vouchers, based upon a variety of factors, most importantly the duration of the homelessness and the need for longer term more intensive support to obtain and maintain permanent housing. The HUD-VASH program includes both the rental assistance the voucher provides and the comprehensive case management that VAMC staff provides.\nVeterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless Veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S., Guam and Puerto Rico.\nThe grants announced yesterday are part of $75 million appropriated this year to support the housing needs of homeless veterans. In October, Senator\u2019s Mikulski and Cardin announced $777,845 in a first round of HUD-VASH grants awarded to the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, the Harford County Housing Agency, and the Baltimore County Housing Authority.\u201cI believe our support for our military in the field must be matched by support for our veterans at home,\u201d said Senator Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee which funds HUD, and a member of the Senate Veterans Jobs Caucus and the Senate Military Families Caucus. \u201cPromises made to veterans must be promises kept. These funds in the federal checkbook will help our vets find homes. The nation owes a debt of gratitude to our men and women in uniform. These grants will show that gratitude not just with words, but with deeds.\u201d\n\u201cThose who fought to defend this nation should not have to fight for roofs over their heads when they return,\u201d U.S. Senator Ben Cardin said. \u00a0\u201cThe HUD grants announced today help deliver on the promise we make to our military personnel as they pledge to defend our freedom. Working to end homelessness amongst our veterans is one important way we can begin to honor our men and women in uniform.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that HUD allocated 21 HUD-VASH vouchers to Southern Maryland to be used to combat homelessness among veterans in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary\u2019s counties,\u201d said Congressman Steny H. Hoyer. \u201cThese vouchers will bring much-needed relief to those who performed their duty to our country and are now asking us to fulfill our duty to them. I will continue to work with the Maryland Delegation to push for measures that help get veterans the support they need as they transition back home.\u201d\n\u201cA home represents safety and security, and there are few people more deserving of our help in finding one than the men and women in uniform who risk their lives to keep us safe,\u201d Representative Elijah Cummings said. \u201cOur veterans have earned our support and appreciation, and the funds announced today for Maryland veterans through HUD\u2019s VASH program are one way we fulfill our commitment to them.\u201d\n\u201cWe must do everything we can to help veterans in Maryland and across America find good homes,\u201d said Congressman Sarbanes. \u201cGrants \u2013 like the ones announced today by HUD to address homeless veterans\u2019 housing needs \u2013 will enable us to follow through on the promises we have made to our veterans.\u201d\n\u201cWe have a sacred obligation to support our nation\u2019s veterans and there\u2019s little more fundamental to a person\u2019s well-being and dignity than having a place to live\u201d said Congressman Delaney. \u201cI\u2019m hopeful that federal grants to the Hagerstown Housing Authority will help Western Maryland veterans secure the permanent housing they deserve.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://ruppersberger.house.gov//newsroom/press-releases/ruppersberger-team-maryland-announce-federal-grants-to-provide-homes-for"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9065850172191858, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}