Independent guides to U.S. financial assistance
GrantsHubUSA logo
GrantsHubUSAVerified Guides
Housing

HUD-VASH: Housing vouchers and support for veterans.

HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)

Housing Choice Voucher plus VA case management for homeless veterans. Combines rental subsidy with mental health, substance use, and clinical support.

Reviewed by SubhaVerified

Understand eligibilityRead application steps
Veteran holding keys at the entrance of an apartment building

Support

Voucher + VA

Rental voucher plus VA case management

First step

VA referral

Through your local VA medical center

Your rent share

About 30%

Of adjusted income; minimum rent can be $0

Cost to apply

Free

No application fee

Figures on this page were last verified October 16, 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm them with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in partnership with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) before you apply.

What is HUD-VASH?

HUD-VASH is a joint HUD and VA program that pairs a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8 rental subsidy) with VA case management for veterans who are homeless, including those about to lose their housing.

As of the June 2026 allocation, more than 118,000 HUD-VASH vouchers are active nationwide, and the program has housed more than 250,000 veterans since it launched in 2008, according to HUD Press Release HUD-NO 26-052. In FY2025, 97,411 unique eligible veterans received HUD-VASH support.

The 2024 expansion raised the initial income eligibility limit from 50 percent to 80 percent of Area Median Income and excludes VA service-connected benefits from the countable income test, per GAO Report GAO-26-107517.

Veterans apply through the VA rather than a Public Housing Agency waiting list: call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-424-3838, request a HUD-VASH screening, and the VA coordinates with the local PHA to issue the voucher plus assign a case manager.

HUD-VASH is a joint program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

It pairs a Housing Choice Voucher (a Section 8 rental subsidy) with wraparound VA case management for veterans who are homeless, including those about to lose their housing.

As of the June 2026 allocation, more than 118,000 HUD-VASH vouchers are active nationwide, and the program has housed more than 250,000 veterans since it launched in 2008 (HUD Press Release HUD-NO 26-052, June 26, 2026).

HUD and VA awarded 2,532 new vouchers in June 2026 across 265 Public Housing Agencies in 44 states.

The VA reports a different measure: veterans living in homes through HUD-VASH. That count was more than 95,000 as of March 2026, per the VA's HUD-VASH page. Active vouchers (HUD) and veterans housed (VA) are separate figures, so both can be right.

In FY2025, HUD-VASH served 97,411 unique eligible veterans, of whom 12,882 were women and 84,268 were men.

The initial income eligibility ceiling was raised from 50 percent to 80 percent of Area Median Income, and VA service-connected benefits are excluded from the applicant's countable income for this test (GAO Report GAO-26-107517).

Unlike a normal Section 8 application, HUD-VASH does not go through a PHA waiting list. Veterans must first be assessed by a VA medical center for clinical/case-management eligibility.

If VA determines HUD-VASH is appropriate, VA works with the local Public Housing Agency to issue the voucher and connects the veteran with a case manager who provides ongoing housing search help, health care coordination, mental health services, substance use treatment, and employment support.

Which veterans HUD-VASH serves

  • Veteran who served in active military, naval, or air/space service and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable (general court-martial dismissal excludes eligibility)
  • Currently experiencing homelessness, or in circumstances qualifying under HUD-VASH rules as an eligible homeless veteran
  • Demonstrated need for ongoing case management or supportive services, especially where substantial barriers exist such as long-term homelessness, physical or mental health conditions, substance use, or complex care needs
  • Household income at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income at initial certification (raised from 50 percent under 2024 expansion); VA service-connected benefits are excluded from the countable income calculation for this test
  • Meet HUD income and household rules. Under HUD-VASH rules, PHAs may not deny you for criminal history, except for lifetime sex-offender registration
  • No household member subject to lifetime sex-offender registration (if that person is not the veteran, the family can still be served once that member leaves the household)
  • Willing to accept VA case management as a condition of continued voucher eligibility

Only the agency that runs the program can decide eligibility.

What a HUD-VASH voucher and VA case manager provide

Rental subsidy + VA case management

Varies

97,411 unique eligible veterans served in FY2025; 250,000+ veterans housed cumulatively since 2008; 118,000+ active vouchers as of June 2026 (HUD Press Release HUD-NO 26-052, June 26, 2026; FY2025 count from GovInfo CMR-VA1-00201611)

What the amount depends on

Housing Choice Voucher pays the difference between roughly 30 percent of the veteran's adjusted monthly income and the local Payment Standard (typically 90 to 110 percent of Fair Market Rent).

Fair Market Rents vary widely by county and metro area. HUD's FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026, and you can look up your area at huduser.gov.

Value also includes ongoing VA case management, primary health care, mental health services, substance use treatment, and employment support with no time limit while the veteran remains eligible.

Official HUD-VASH informationHUD-VASH screening and application steps

Getting referred to HUD-VASH through the VA

  1. 01

    Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans

    Dial 1-877-424-3838 anytime (24/7) for connection to your nearest VA medical center homeless-services staff. This is the fastest path into the program.

  2. 02

    Or visit your nearest VA medical center

    Ask specifically for the Homeless Programs office or a HUD-VASH screening. Say clearly: I am homeless or at risk of homelessness and want to be screened for HUD-VASH.

  3. 03

    Complete the VA clinical assessment

    A VA case manager or social worker evaluates your homelessness status, eligibility as a veteran, and clinical need for supportive services. This determines whether HUD-VASH or another VA program (such as SSVF or Grant and Per Diem) is the right fit.

  4. 04

    VA refers your case to the local Public Housing Agency

    If HUD-VASH is appropriate, VA sends a referral to the partnering PHA in your area. The PHA verifies HUD income eligibility, checks the lifetime sex-offender registry, and issues the voucher briefing packet.

  5. 05

    Search for and lease an approved unit

    Your VA case manager helps with the housing search, landlord communication, and lease review. Once you find a unit within Payment Standard limits, the PHA inspects the unit for Housing Quality Standards and approves the lease.

  6. 06

    Move in and continue VA case management

    After move-in, you meet regularly with your VA case manager who continues coordinating health care, mental health services, substance use treatment, employment support, and housing stabilization for as long as needed.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on how to apply for HUD-VASH.

Start with the official source

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in partnership with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Visit official site

HUD-VASH questions from veterans

A veteran who served under conditions other than dishonorable, is homeless (including about to lose their housing), and has a demonstrated need for VA case management to obtain and maintain independent housing.

Under the 2024 expansion, the initial income limit rose from 50 percent to 80 percent of Area Median Income, and VA service-connected benefits are excluded from the countable income calculation. Documented in GAO Report GAO-26-107517.

Do not apply through a Public Housing Agency waiting list. Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-424-3838 (available 24/7) or visit your nearest VA medical center and ask to be screened for HUD-VASH.

VA determines clinical eligibility first, then coordinates with the local PHA to issue the voucher. This dual-agency intake is what separates HUD-VASH from standard Section 8.

There is no lifetime time limit. As long as the veteran remains eligible and continues to accept VA case management, the HUD-VASH voucher remains active. Recertification happens annually.

The veteran can move with the voucher, but only where VA case management can continue, so moves are planned with the VA case manager and the PHA.

HUD-VASH uses the same subsidy math as regular Section 8. The veteran pays approximately 30 percent of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities; the voucher's Housing Assistance Payment covers the rest up to the local Payment Standard (typically 90 to 110 percent of Fair Market Rent).

Fair Market Rents vary widely by area; HUD's FY2027 figures took effect on October 1, 2026. PHAs may also set a lower HUD-VASH minimum rent, including $0.

A dishonorable discharge or dismissal by general court-martial excludes eligibility for HUD-VASH. Since the 2021 eligibility expansion, other discharges, including general and other than honorable, can qualify for HUD-VASH even without VA health care eligibility.

Contact a VA benefits counselor or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) to review your specific discharge status before ruling yourself out.

The voucher covers the entire household living with the veteran, including a spouse and dependent children. The household size is used to determine bedroom size and Fair Market Rent.

VA case management is provided to the veteran; family members receive housing stability through the shared unit but not clinical services under HUD-VASH itself.

Sources & further reading

Use official sources to confirm current requirements and benefit amounts.

Reviewed by Subha

Every rule and figure here was checked against the sources above on October 16, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Our editorial policy

Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial site. We are not a government agency and we do not run this program. See our full disclaimer.

Explore related programs

Housing

Section 8

Federal rental subsidy that pays your landlord directly, covering the gap between about 30% of your adjusted income and your local payment standard.

Read program guide
Food

SNAP

Monthly food benefits delivered on an EBT card, the largest US anti-hunger program, formerly known as food stamps.

Read program guide
Education

Pell Grant

Need-based federal grant for undergraduate college, up to $7,395 per year that you do not have to pay back.

Read program guide