New Bill Aims to Improve Housing Support for Disabled Veterans

Legislative Proposal Highlights Key Changes for Disability Benefits in Housing Assistance

We have received text from H.R. 965: Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act. This bill was received on 2025-02-04, and currently has 30 cosponsors.

Here is a short summary of the bill:

The Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act seeks to amend the United States Housing Act of 1937 to provide better support for disabled veterans. Below are the key components of the bill:

Exclusion of Disability Benefits from Income Assessments

This proposal intends to change how income is evaluated for veterans applying for housing assistance. Specifically, it aims to:

• Exclude disability benefits received under Chapter 11 or Chapter 15 of Title 38 of the United States Code from the income calculations for veterans seeking supported housing programs under Section 8(o)(19).
• Clarify that this exclusion does not affect the definition of adjusted income, which may influence other housing assistance types.

Eligibility Criteria for Housing Assistance

According to this bill, when evaluating a veteran’s eligibility for renting residential units on Department property, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development would:

• Exclude any disability benefits received by the veteran in their income assessment. This applies specifically to units built on Department property after the bill’s enactment, as long as these units are part of a housing assistance program that wasn’t established before this legislation.

Definitions and Key Terms

To aid understanding, the bill clarifies crucial terms as follows:

• 
  Secretary:
  
  Refers to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
• 
  Department Property:
  
  Defined according to existing legislation in Section 901 of Title 38, United States Code, relating to property managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Implementation and Goals

The proposed adjustments aim to create a more accommodating housing situation for disabled veterans. By ensuring that their disability benefits do not affect their eligibility and affordability, the bill hopes to improve access to housing resources that may currently be restricted due to existing income calculations. These changes recognize the unique financial circumstances faced by disabled veterans in their pursuit of housing.

Important Disclaimer

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