Congress has appropriated additional funding for new HUD-VASH vouchers every year since 2008:
Each year, HUD and VA have collaboratively awarded HUD-VASH vouchers based on current geographic need and public housing agency (PHA) performance. Since 2017, the allocation process for awarding HUD-VASH vouchers has changed to allow PHAs to self-identify their interest in the program. HUD publishes an annual HUD-VASH Registration of Interest Notice containing detailed instructions that PHAs must follow if they are interested in receiving a portion of the available HUD-VASH vouchers. PHAs must have the support of a partnering VA facility and meet any utilization threshold requirements to be eligible for an award. After the registration period has closed, HUD and VA use a formula to determine relative need, and ultimately invite eligible PHAs to apply for a specific number of HUD-VASH vouchers. The associated funding awarded for HUD-VASH vouchers is determined by the actual average per unit cost (PUC) at each PHA.
There is at least one PHA currently administering HUD-VASH in each of the 50 states, in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.
HUD-VASH vouchers are renewed based on actual PHA leasing along with all other housing choice vouchers (HCV). Details of annual renewal funding and potential set-side fund opportunities can be found in the annual HCV Funding Notice.
Generally, the HUD-VASH program is administered in accordance with regular HCV and PBV program requirements (24 CFR Section 982 and 983 respectively). However, the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 110-161) allows HUD to waive or specify alternative requirements for any provision of any statute or regulation affecting the HCV program in order to effectively deliver and administer HUD-VASH voucher assistance. The alternative requirements are established in the HUD-VASH Operating Requirements (including the waivers and alternative requirements from HCV program rules), which were published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2008, and updated March 23, 2012,a nd updated again September 27, 2021. PHAs may also seek individual HUD-VASH waivers through the regular Field Office waiver process.