Congresswoman Kaptur Announces Legislation To Bring More Help to Homeless Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 26, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) has introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to make the Ohio Veterans Home and other state veterans homes eligible for homelessness grant funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate.

“No veteran in America should go homeless,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “This legislation would make the Ohio Veterans Home eligible for resources from the VA to serve homeless veterans throughout Northern Ohio.”

State veterans homes, including the OVH, currently are not eligible for funding under the VA’s homelessness grant program. Congresswoman Kaptur has urged the department to change its policy and now has collaborated with Senator Brown to make a change in law that would enable the OVH eligible for funding.
Current Federal law permits state veterans homes to work under three authorized programs: VA Nursing Home Care, VA Adult Day Health Care, and VA Domiciliary. Because state veterans homes are not permitted to receive other federal funds, they are not eligible for grants under the VA pilot program, Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program (HCHV). There are still too many veterans who are homeless, however, and many state veterans homes have available space that could support them.