Congresswoman Nikema Williams Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Address Housing Injustice for Veterans

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) announced the introduction of H.R. 5606: Return Home to Housing Act, bipartisan legislation that addresses housing injustice for veterans. Representatives Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Sara Jacobs (CA-53), and Andrew R. Garbarino (NY-02) joined Congresswoman Williams in introducing the legislation. 

This legislation will raise the maximum allowable rate that the Department of Veterans Affairs can reimburse to service providers for supplying transitional housing to unhoused veterans. By ensuring they can get adequately reimbursed for their costs, this bill will help housing providers supply more housing to unhoused veterans in need.

“After everything the brave women and men who served our country have done, we owe it to them to make sure they have a roof over their head,” said Congresswoman Williams. “Unfortunately, the Fifth Congressional District has some of the worst examples of housing injustice. But I won’t stop working to increase access to dignified housing for everyone, especially those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I want to thank my cosponsors on both sides of the aisle for their support of ending housing injustice for veterans.” 

“Veterans who served their country should never have to contend with homelessness,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “Through greater awareness, support, and targeted investments, we can end this scourge.   I’m honored to partner with Congresswoman Williams on a bipartisan bill to tackle this issue by ensuring organizations dedicated to this fight have the necessary resources to help homeless veterans. I will always back our heroes, who have served and sacrificed so much on our behalf.”

“I am honored to partner with Congresswoman Williams on the Return Home to Housing Act,” said Congresswoman Jacobs. “As the representative of a proud military and veteran community in San Diego, helping veterans afford housing is an important priority for me. In San Diego, my constituents face high housing costs, and baseline assistance and reimbursement levels are inadequate – and because of this too many veterans and families have been left behind. This bipartisan legislation raises housing assistance reimbursement rates for veterans and will help more veterans and their families transition to housing.” 

“U.S. service members volunteer to enter the line of fire in order to secure our freedoms and the very least we can do is ensure they are taken care of when they return home,” said Congressman Garbarino. “This bill will expand access to housing for veterans making what can be a difficult transition to civilian life. I am proud to co-lead this bill with Congresswoman Williams so that we can provide for those who have protected us.”  

“The Veterans of Foreign Wars supports the Return Home to Housing Act to help reduce veteran homelessness,” said Patrick Murray, National Legislative Director of Veterans of Foreign Wars. “Eliminating roadblocks will help allow veterans to fully utilize the programs VA offers in order to maintain stable housing.” 

“For many unsheltered veterans, VA’s Grant and Per Diem Program has funded shelters that have been a key stop on the path back to stable housing,” said Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “Organizations operating these programs have long been underfunded and requirements for safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic have added to that financial burden. The Return Home to Housing Act would make sure that veterans will continue to have access to high quality supportive services and shelter on the path to permanent housing. NCHV applauds Congresswoman Williams’ introduction of this critical piece of legislation and urges Congress to pass the bill without delay.”

“This bill would bring up to date the funding for an important program for homeless veterans. This legislation will be part of America’s work to end veteran homelessness,” said Steve Berg, Vice President for Policy and Programs of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Click here for more information about the Return Home to Housing Act.

CONTACT: PressGA05@mail.house.gov 

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