Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act
Congress Changes Housing Aid Rules so Disabled Veterans’ VA Disability Pay Doesn’t Count as Income
Signed Into Law
This legislation has been enacted.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- States, cities, and tribes must ignore VA service-connected disability payments when deciding if someone qualifies as “low” or “moderate” income for certain housing and community programs.
- This change can help disabled veterans qualify for help like housing assistance or neighborhood improvement programs, because their disability payments won’t push them over income limits.
- The rule applies when programs use income categories tied to the Housing and Community Development Act, which many local housing and development programs rely on.
- The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress within 1 year on how HUD programs treat these VA payments and suggest fixes where programs still count them.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Disabled veterans receiving VA service-connected disability compensation will no longer have that money counted as income when they apply for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing and community programs. This means more disabled veterans will qualify as "low" or "moderate" income, opening doors to housing assistance, home repairs, and neighborhood improvement programs they may have been shut out of before. The change is now law and applies to all veterans with service-connected disability ratings who seek CDBG-funded help.
Programs
Disabilities
Milestones
Signed by President.
The President signed it. This is now the law of the land.
Became Public Law No: 119-70.
The President signed it. This is now the law of the land.
Presented to President.
Both chambers passed identical text. The President has 10 days to sign it into law or veto it.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S52)
The Senate voted to approve this bill. If the House already passed it, it goes to the President.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
4 articles
Crapo & Reed Lead Successful Passage of the Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act
Senate passage update; explains the bill’s effect of excluding VA service-connected disability compensation from income calculations for CDBG-related eligibility.
Reed, Crapo Unite in Bipartisan Push to Improve Disabled Veteran Housing Access
Describes the proposal to prevent VA disability compensation from affecting eligibility for HUD/CDBG-funded assistance; notes a GAO report requirement.
Congressman Pat Harrigan Votes to Pass Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act to Protect Veterans’ Benefits
House-passage reaction piece; summarizes the bill’s core change excluding VA service-connected disability pay from income calculations for CDBG eligibility.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(11)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.