U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan has announced that HUD will provide $4.3 million to local housing authorities in 19 states to provide permanent housing for 550 homeless veterans in America.

The funding is provided through The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH), a coordinated effort by HUD, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and local housing authorities to provide permanent supportive housing for veterans experiencing homelessness. For a local breakdown of the rental vouchers announced today, visit HUD's website.

"Our veterans deserve something better than a life on the streets," said Donovan. "President Obama has given us our marching orders that, as a nation, we must end the curse of homelessness especially for those who answered their country's call to serve."

This funding to local housing authorities is part of the Obama Administration's strategy to end veteran and long-term chronic homelessness by 2015. Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness serves as a roadmap for how the federal government will work with state and local agreements to confront the root causes of homelessness, especially among former servicemen and women.

The grants announced today are part of a $75 million investment to support the needs of homeless veterans. With today's announcement, HUD will have allocated a combined $70 million to fund 9,800 housing vouchers nationwide for 2010. The fourth and final competitive round will be announced later this year or early 2011. In addition to the rental assistance, the VA Medical Centers provide supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans.

HUD allocates the housing vouchers to local public housing agencies, which work closely with local Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) to target rental assistance vouchers to homeless veterans in their area. Homeless veterans are selected based on a variety of factors, including the number of reported homeless veterans and the proximity of a local VAMC with the capacity to provide case management. Veteran Affairs case managers will also work directly with local housing agencies that are administering the HUD-VASH program to determine income eligibility and help participants find suitable housing.

Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. VA offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S, Guam and Puerto Rico.