The Homeless Veteran Families Act will extend aid to homeless veteran families by updating the VA’s per-day payment calculation to include money for children and would increase the daily payment by around 50% for each child.
According to an article published by Radio.com, “The bill, sponsored by Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Women Veteran Task Force, came to a vote following a Congressional hearing where advocates told members of Congress that women veterans who are homeless are less likely to seek help because they fear losing their children. Women veterans are the fastest-growing group in the military, but they’re also the fastest-growing group of homeless veterans and are more likely than men to be single parents, according to the Defense Department and VA.”
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates, the number of homeless women veterans has more than doubled since 2006. According to Brownley, “Many homeless veterans with children are unable to obtain assistance because (support groups) only receive funding from VA for the veteran, not their children. The veteran is forced to choose between getting their own housing assistance and caring for their … children. No veteran should be forced to choose between housing … and caring for their children.”
The Housing for Women Veterans Act is another bill that would designate at least $20 million to groups aiming to help women veterans and their families.
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Relevant pages: Veterans Disability