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Congress·Passed House·about 1 year ago

Congress aims to help homeless disabled veterans qualify for housing aid by excluding some disability benefits

Also known as: Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
✓ Review
✓ House
Senate
President

Impacts

Positive Impacts(7)
Military Veteran
Helps
Veterans Benefits
Helps
Housing Assistance
Helps
Disability Benefits
Helps
Chronic Illness
Helps
Renter
Helps
Retiree
Helps

Key Points

  • Tells housing programs not to count certain veterans’ disability benefits as “income” when deciding if a homeless veteran can qualify for a special rental help program.
  • This change mainly affects a supported housing voucher program that helps veterans who are homeless get stable housing.
  • Because the benefits won’t be counted the same way, more disabled veterans may qualify, or they may qualify for a larger amount of help than before.
  • It also applies to a future HUD housing program on certain federal property: veterans’ disability benefits must be excluded from income when checking eligibility.
  • The bill says this exclusion does not change the separate “adjusted income” calculation, so some rent or eligibility math may still include other income rules.
HousingVeterans

Milestones

3 milestones9 actions
Feb 11, 2025Senate

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Feb 10, 2025House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Feb 10, 2025House

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H603)

Feb 10, 2025

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H603)

Feb 10, 2025House

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 965.

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law, once HUD issues updated guidance and PHA instructions

HUD updates HUD-VASH eligibility guidance to stop counting VA disability benefits as income for eligibility

Disabled veterans applying for HUD-VASH may qualify more easily, even if their VA disability payment would have pushed them over an income limit

Weeks to months after HUD issues instructions

Public Housing Agencies update forms, software, and verification steps for HUD-VASH

Applicants may see different paperwork requests; some agencies may re-check pending applications or recertifications using the new rule

Related News

4 articles
San Antonio Express-News·about 1 month ago

New law aims to ensure disability benefits won’t block veterans from housing assistance

Reports on a newly signed law about excluding service-connected disability benefits from income for federal housing assistance; related issue area but not specifically the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act.

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Stars and Stripes·over 1 year ago

Disability income for veterans will no longer disqualify them from rental assistance

Explains the HUD-VASH income-eligibility waiver so VA disability payments don’t disqualify homeless veterans—highly related policy substance, but predates the 2025 bill and does not focus on H.R. 965.

C=
KPBS·11 months ago

New bill would protect disabled veterans’ access to housing voucher program

Covers the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act effort to permanently exclude VA disability benefits from income calculations for HUD-VASH eligibility.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act

Bill NumberHR 965
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(46)
D: 37R: 9

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.