[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 148 (Thursday, August 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42979-42980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16723]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Rental and Utility Assistance for Certain Low-Income Veteran 
Families

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program 
has enabled grantees to augment available housing options for homeless 
Veterans in high rent-burden communities by increasing rental 
assistance for up to 2 years before recertification. This notice will 
establish locations where the SSVF grantees can place Veterans in 
housing with this rental subsidy.

DATES: SSVF grantees can place Veterans in housing with the rental 
subsidy described in title 38 CFR 62.34(a)(8) in the newly described 
areas effective the date of this Notice publication date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Kuhn, Homeless Program 
Office, Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program Office, 810 
Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420; 202-632-8596. (This is not a 
toll-free number.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a document published in the Federal 
Register on August 28, 2019, VA published a final rule, which revised 
its regulations that govern the SSVF Program, which is authorized under 
38 U.S.C. 2044, 84 FR 45074. This rule, which amended 38 CFR 
62.34(a)(6) and (8), enables SSVF grantees to provide rental assistance 
where the limited availability of affordable housing makes it difficult 
to reduce a community's population of homeless Veterans. The lack of 
affordable housing in the United States has been widely documented with 
its effect becoming more pronounced during the coronavirus (COVID-19) 
pandemic. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition maintains a 
detailed database that shows there is a shortage of affordable housing 
across every state. As the lack of affordable housing is a national 
crisis, VA is expanding access to the SSVF resources described in 
sections 62.34(a)(6) and (8) to all counties and equivalents within the 
50 United States (U.S.); the District of Columbia; Puerto Rico; the 
U.S. Virgin Islands; and Guam. Through these subsidies, the pool of 
available housing can be expanded as program participants have access 
to a broader rental market. Section 62.34(a)(8) states that extremely 
low-income Veteran families and very low-income Veteran families who 
meet the criteria of section 62.11 may be eligible to receive a rental 
subsidy for a 2-year period without recertification. Section 
62.34(a)(8) further states that the applicable counties will be 
published annually in the Federal Register. As stated in the notice, a 
family must live in one of these applicable counties to be eligible for 
this subsidy. The counties will be chosen based on the cost and 
availability of affordable housing for both individuals and families 
within that county.
    On September 28, 2020, VA published the applicable counties for 
fiscal year (FY) 2021. As the COVID-19 health emergency has 
significantly increased the population of Veteran families at-risk of 
homelessness, SSVF is expanding the applicable counties in FY 2021 to 
include every county and equivalent in the 50 United States; the 
District of Columbia; Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Guam. 
This expansion will enable all eligible Veteran families to access this 
housing option.
    Locations: This rental subsidy will be available in all counties 
and equivalents within the 50 United States; the District of Columbia; 
Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.

Signing Authority

    Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, approved this 
document on July 30, 2021, and authorized the undersigned to sign and 
submit the document to the Office of the Federal Register for 
publication

[[Page 42980]]

electronically as an official document of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

Luvenia Potts,
Regulation Development Coordinator Office of Regulation Policy & 
Management, Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021-16723 Filed 8-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P