November 11, 2023 - WASHINGTON, DC. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker has introduced the Supportive Services for National Guard and Reserve Component Veterans and Families Act, legislation that would expand the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program to include former members of the National Guard and Reserves who have retired or separated from service after having served a term of enlistment. Established in 2011, the SSVF program promotes housing stability among very low-income veteran families who reside in or are transitioning to permanent housing. The program has helped decrease veteran homelessness by 50% and has assisted 850,000 veterans and their families by permanently housing, rapidly rehousing, or preventing them from becoming homeless. However, under the program’s current guidelines, many former members of the National Guard and Reserve Component who were not activated for federal active-duty military service while serving, are ineligible for the program.

“The SSVF program has provided critical housing assistance to former servicemembers during their times of need, reducing veteran homelessness rates by 50 percent and assisting some of our most vulnerable veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sen. Booker. “Yet, despite the program’s success, veterans of the National Guard and Reserves are unable to take advantage of its benefits even though they have sacrificed for this nation. This bill would remove this barrier, expanding eligibility to this vital program so that more veterans and their families can access the resources they deserve.”

“Reserve and National Guard service members stand ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to serve their country and state at home and abroad,” said David Pearson, Co-Chair NJ SOS Veteran Stakeholders and Assistant Director Catholic Charities Veterans Services. “We owe them and their families resources to ensure that none of them experience homelessness.  NJ SOS Veteran Stakeholders and Catholic Charities thank Senator Booker for introducing legislating to expand Supportive Services for Very Low-Income Veteran Families (SSVF) to include those who have served in the National Guard and Reserves.”

In addition to expanding eligibility of the SSVF program, the legislation would also require the Secretary of Defense to submit an annual report to Congress detailing food and housing insecurity experienced by current reserve component service members, across all seven components of the Reserves and National Guard.

Full text of the bill can be found here.
Source: Senator Cory Booker