Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, as part of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) proudly joined over ninety fellow mayors in writing in strong support of the “Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act” (H.R. 8340), a critical piece of legislation that would exclude veterans’ disability income from being considered in determining income eligibility for veterans’ housing programs, such as the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
As the letter, sent to the leaders of the United States House of Representatives, explains many of our communities have seen firsthand the profound challenges faced by veterans experiencing homelessness, and Mayor Sarno along with the U. S. Conference of Mayors believe this legislation is an essential step in ensuring that veterans receive the housing and support they deserve.
Mayor Sarno states, “We are the beacon of democracy, strength, hope, and opportunity thanks to the sacrifices and dedication of our proud Veterans and their families. With this legislation, which is limited only to veterans in the HUD-VASH program, we will be able to connect more disabled veterans to housing and help veterans more fully utilize this program. We know that there is a certainly a need for housing among our disabled veteran community, expanding the restrictive eligibility criteria that unintentionally disqualifies some of our most vulnerable veterans from accessing housing is another ‘no brainer’ for our veterans and their families. God Bless the United States of America and God Bless our Veterans.”