Veterans’ Housing
Housing veterans has become SPHA’s Standard Operating Procedure. Here are some of the ways that we are helping our military veterans find and sustain affordable housing:
Project-Based Vouchers for Veterans
Through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded Project-Based Voucher program, SPHA awarded 23 vouchers to Boley Centers, Inc. and Catholic Charities, Diocese of St. Petersburg, Inc. to help house local military veterans. While similar in benefits to the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, commonly called Section 8, the vouchers granted to Boley Centers and Catholic Charities are tied to specific housing units at their properties and must be used to make rent affordable for veterans.
HUD-VASH Vouchers for Homeless Veterans
Another federal program, known as HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), is offering even more rental options to local homeless veterans. With a HUD-VASH voucher issued by SPHA, homeless veterans are able to rent private sector housing in St. Petersburg, contingent on their motivation to continue treatment and improve their individual circumstances. Since 2009, HUD has awarded a total of 375 HUD-VASH vouchers to SPHA, in addition to the regular vouchers allotted to the housing authority’s HCV / Section 8 program.
