Congressman Al Green Improves Housing Access for Veterans in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

(Houston, TX) — On Thursday, September 23, 2021, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) released the following statement in light of his amendment passing the floor of the House:

“I am grateful Congress included my amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which is modeled after my legislation H.R. 165 – Improving Access to Homes for Heroes Act of 2021. This amendment requires public housing agencies to consider the housing needs of veterans when creating their annual plans and housing strategies. It also requires the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assess the housing needs of extremely low-income veteran families and report annually on its activities relating to veterans.”

Congressman Al Green – whose amendment is supported by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association, and the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans - further stated “Our focus on improving access to housing for veterans is fundamentally important because it comes amid a veteran homelessness crisis that our nation has been struggling with for too long.  While strides have been made in improving housing outcomes for veterans, the most recent data from HUD indicates that we still have 37,252 veterans in our country who do not have a home. Eight percent of all homeless adults are veterans. This is a greater share of the homeless population compared to the U.S. population. While data has not yet been released for 2021, I fear the worst in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic crisis. My amendment will help veterans by reorienting the priorities of HUD and the housing agencies that serve them. It is our moral imperative to ensure they are not forgotten once their service is over when they have sacrificed so much for our nation."