December 18, 2019

Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $178,000 to Fight Veteran Homelessness

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator and combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $178,172 in federal funding for housing authorities to reduce homelessness among Veterans across Illinois. The funding, from the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, will be used to provide rental assistance, case management and other critical services.

“Every American is dishonored when a Veteran who fought for this country’s freedom must lay his or her head down on the very streets they defended,” said Duckworth. “This funding will help bring us closer to the goal of eliminating Veteran homelessness once and for all and I look forward to working alongside Senator Durbin toward that goal.”

“Too often, our nation’s veterans find themselves facing financial difficulties and the prospect of homelessness,” Durbin said. “This federal funding will help ensure that local housing authorities across our state have the necessary resources to help veteran families find secure housing. I will continue working alongside Senator Duckworth in the fight to end veteran homelessness.”

Under today’s announcement, the following organizations will receive HUD-VASH funding:

  • $48,024 for Chicago Housing Authority
  • $58,596 for Housing Authority of Champaign County
  • $22,861 for Rockford Housing Authority
  • $19,619 for Winnebago County Housing Authority
  • $29,072 for Housing Authority of the County of Boone

For years, Senator Duckworth has advocated for policies to end Veteran homelessness, including her work as the Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs, where she coordinated the joint initiative with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat the issue. In the Senate, Duckworth has led on a wide range of issues impacting Veterans including a recent trip to Tijuana, Mexico, to honor deported Veterans and offer supportive services. Last month, Duckworth introduced three bills addressing Veteran suicide, homelessness and access to healthcare. Duckworth’s proposals—the Veteran Employment and Child Care Access Act, Access to Contraception Expansion for Veterans (ACE Veterans) Act and Post 9/11 Veteran Suicide Prevention Counseling Act—would increase access to child care services as well as contraceptives and help reduce Veteran suicide. Duckworth also introduced the Get the Lead out of Military Housing Act in April of this year, which would protect military families from lead exposure by improving testing and inspection for lead in drinking water and military homes.

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