VA Homeless Programs

How Landlords Can Help End Veteran Homeless

No individual who served their country should be without a home. VA cannot address this alone and needs landlords who are interested in housing these Veterans.

Landlords have a unique opportunity to give back to those who have served. Veterans have selflessly defended our nation in times of need — and landlords can make a positive impact by protecting these individuals from the risk of homelessness. Housing Veterans doesn’t just provide shelter, but can lead to life-changing health, social, and socioeconomic outcomes for them and their families. Furthermore, housing Veterans provides a mutually beneficial relationship; landlords will benefit from responsible, often long-term, renters, support from VA, and guaranteed payments that come through Housing Choice Vouchers or grantees offering short-term subsidies.

Please note: VA does not make direct payments to landlords. Rental subsidy payments described here are disbursed from either homeless Veteran-specific Housing Choice Vouchers administered by local public housing authorities or through nonprofit organizations that administer VA-funded grants.

We urge all landlord to consider the information and strategies below and to contact us to connect with the local VA homeless coordinator in their area.

Accepting Housing Vouchers from Veterans

There are multiple efforts through VA to assist low-income Veterans with permanent housing solutions. Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) is a collaborative program that pairs HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with VA case management and supportive services. These services are designed to help homeless Veterans and their families obtain permanent housing and access the health care, mental health treatment, and other supports necessary to help them improve their quality of life and maintain housing over time. Eligible Veterans receive an HCV from a public housing agency (PHA) to get assistance with their monthly rent, as well as case management and supportive services.

Deciding to accept housing choice vouchers is a meaningful way for landlords to provide Veterans with housing. It takes just 5 steps to participate:

1. Get in contact locally.
   1. Contact your local PHA or your nearest VA medical center to learn more about the HUD-VASH program. The PHA can provide education on the paperwork required to be approved as a HUD-VASH landlord once a Veteran has been selected and approved for your unit.
   2. Fill out our online form to let us know about your available units. We’ll then connect you with your local VA so you can start receiving referrals.
2. Review HUD's National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) to make sure your property is up to code. 
3. Screen and select a Veteran tenant and complete the Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA) form for the PHA, who will schedule the NSPIRE inspection for the unit and building.
4. The PHA will conduct the inspection and, after the unit has passed, work with you to determine rent and complete a Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract.
5. Meet with the Veteran to review and sign the lease, which is usually agreed upon for 12 months.

Similarly, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) offers awards grants to community-based nonprofit organizations, referred to as grantees, to offer rapid housing or re-housing to Veterans facing homelessness. These organizations provide short-term interventions such as security deposits, rental subsidies, housing case management, and financial assistance to support the Veteran in assuming full responsibility for the lease and rent.

Benefits of Renting to Veterans

As a landlord participating in one of our programs to house Veterans, you’ll benefit from guaranteed payments, support from VA, and reliable, often long-term tenants.

• Reliable, market-rate income: With HUD-VASH vouchers and SSVF subsidies, a portion of the rent is automatically paid on time by a public housing agency or an SSVF provider. Accepting vouchers or subsidies doesn't mean getting less money. The combination of these payments and the portion paid by the Veteran matches fair market rental prices.
• Support from VA: Veterans in HUD-VASH and SSVF receive case management to provide stability and supportive services. This includes education about the requirements of their lease, including paying their portion of the rent on time. The case manager also provides support to you, the landlord, if any issues arise.
• Serve those who have served: It’s all too common that Veterans face housing challenges, particularly in the context of rapidly rising rents nationwide. You can play a crucial role in helping Veterans get safe, stable housing, supporting those who put it all on the line for our country.

Ensure Property Is Up to Code

For HUD-VASH units, the PHA schedules an inspection when it receives the RFTA. The unit must pass inspection before the RFTA can be approved and a lease signed. After the unit is occupied, the PHA will conduct an annual inspection. If there is a problem with the unit, off-cycle inspections can also be scheduled on request.

Review the full NSPIRE checklist.

Find Tenants

• Reach out to a local VA medical center (VAMC): Each VAMC has staff who are dedicated to connecting Veterans with housing. Contact us let us know about your rental units.
• Contact a local housing authority: Many local housing authorities work closely with HUD-VASH programs and can assist in connecting landlords to both HUD-VASH and Veterans who are eager to rent. Most will have websites and contact information obtainable through a quick internet search. Find housing authorities nationwide by visiting this site.
• Advertise HUD-VASH and voucher acceptance in property listings: If a landlord is advertising a property, they should consider highlighting that they accept HUD-VASH and housing choice vouchers. While federal law does not require a landlord to accept these, some states prohibit refusing a tenant based on voucher payments.
• Consider shared living arrangements: Sharing a larger unit can be ideal for Veterans who desire a communal living experience, as it can reduce isolation, provide helpful peer support, and ease financial burden. With the rapid increase in rents in many areas of the country, it becomes more difficult to find affordable studio and one-bedroom units. Shared housing can provide a more diverse portfolio of housing options. Shared housing is allowable in both HUD-VASH and SSVF. 

Other Ways to Help

If you’re not able to accept a rental subsidy, there are several other meaningful ways you can help Veterans.

• Rent to Veterans at a discounted rate: The housing market is increasingly competitive, and many areas have extremely limited affordable options. If you can afford to charge a lower rate for a Veteran in transition, even for a short period, this can be an enormous benefit.
• Donate furniture: Renters often move suddenly and sometimes leave furniture behind. Donating gently used furniture and household goods to a Veteran tenant in need can help ease their transition to a new home. Contact your local VA to find an organization that can accept your donation.
• Share this information with other landlords: Spread awareness of our programs to help Veterans facing a housing crisis by providing this information to other landlords and realtors in your area.

Not a Landlord but Still Want to Help?

If you're not a landlord with rental units but still want to help end Veteran homelessness, there's still opportunities for you. To learn more about how VA partners with organizations to provide a variety of housing options for Veterans, read So, You Wanna House Homeless Veterans.