Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act
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The Disabled Veterans Housing Support Act requires state and local governments to exclude veterans' service-connected disability compensation when calculating income eligibility for Community Development Block Grant assistance.
The law also directs the Government Accountability Office to study how HUD programs treat disability compensation, identifying any inconsistencies with this new exclusion and recommending fixes to better serve veterans.
What this law does
What it does
The law amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to require that, when determining whether someone qualifies as low, moderate, or low-and-moderate income for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) purposes, states, local governments, and Indian tribes must exclude any service-connected disability compensation a person receives from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This means disabled veterans' VA compensation payments will no longer count against them when local governments assess eligibility for CDBG-funded housing and community development assistance. The law also requires the Comptroller General to report to Congress within one year on how service-connected disability compensation is treated across all HUD-administered programs, flag any programs that treat it inconsistently with this new CDBG requirement, and recommend legislative changes to better serve veterans and underserved communities.
Key provisions
- 1Requires states, local governments, and Indian tribes to exclude VA service-connected disability compensation when determining income eligibility for CDBG assistance
- 2Requires the Comptroller General to report within one year on how disability compensation is treated across all HUD-administered programs
- 3Requires the report to identify HUD programs treating disability compensation inconsistently with the new CDBG exclusion requirement
- 4Requires legislative recommendations for how inconsistent HUD programs could better serve veterans and underserved communities
Who is affected
Veterans receiving VA service-connected disability compensation who apply for CDBG-funded housing or community development assistance, along with the state, local, and tribal governments that administer CDBG eligibility determinations. HUD and the Government Accountability Office are also affected through the new reporting requirement.
Why it matters
Excluding disability compensation from income calculations should make more disabled veterans eligible for CDBG-funded housing assistance, since their VA payments will no longer push them over income thresholds. The GAO report could also prompt further legislative changes if other HUD programs are found to treat this compensation inconsistently.
What changed
Changes to existing law
Amends Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302(a)(20)) (Sec. 2)
Adds a requirement to exclude VA service-connected disability compensation when calculating income for CDBG eligibility determinations
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- GAO report on treatment of disability compensation across HUD programs
How it works
State, local, and tribal governments administering CDBG funds must revise their income-eligibility calculations to exclude VA service-connected disability compensation going forward. Separately, the Comptroller General has one year from enactment to study how disability compensation is treated across all HUD programs, identify inconsistencies with this new standard, and deliver a report to Congress with legislative recommendations for better serving veterans and underserved communities.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Became Public Law No: 119-70.
Official CRS summary
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This act excludes compensation received for a military service-connected disability from a veteran's income when determining eligibility for assistance under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
The CDBG program provides grants to urban communities for development activities focused on revitalizing neighborhoods, economic development, and providing improved community facilities and services.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on how service-connected disability compensation is treated when determining eligibility for all programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This includes identifying instances where the treatment of such compensation is inconsistent with the requirement under this act.
Legislative subjects
Congressional oversight; Disability assistance; Housing and Community Development; Low- and moderate-income housing; Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs