Rental Housing
Information on Low-Income Veterans' Housing Conditions and Participation in HUD's Programs Gao ID: GAO-08-324T December 5, 2007Veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan could increase demand for affordable rental housing. Households with low incomes (80 percent or less of the area median income) generally are eligible to receive rental assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) housing choice voucher, public housing, and project-based programs. However, because rental assistance is not an entitlement, not all who are eligible receive assistance. This testimony, based on a 2007 report, discusses (1) the income status and demographic and housing characteristics of veteran renter households, (2) how HUD's rental assistance programs treat veteran status (whether a person is a veteran or not) and whether they use a veteran's preference, and (3) the extent to which HUD's rental assistance programs served veterans in fiscal year 2005. The 2007 report discussed in this testimony made no recommendations.
In 2005, an estimated 2.3 million veteran renter households had low incomes. The proportion of veteran renter households that were low income varied by state but did not fall below 41 percent. Further, an estimated 1.3 million, or about 56 percent of these low-income veteran households nationwide, had housing affordability problems--that is, rental costs exceeding 30 percent of household income (see map for state percentages). Compared with other (nonveteran) renter households, however, veterans were somewhat less likely to be low income or have housing affordability problems. HUD's major rental assistance programs are not required to take a household's veteran status into account when determining eligibility and calculating subsidy amounts, but eligible veterans can receive assistance. The majority of the 41 largest public housing agencies that administer the housing choice voucher or public housing programs had no veterans' preference for admission. The 13 largest performance-based contract administrators that oversaw most properties under project-based programs reported that owners generally did not adopt a veterans' preference. In fiscal year 2005, an estimated 11 percent of all eligible low-income veteran households (at least 250,000) received assistance, compared with 19 percent of nonveteran households. Although the reasons for the difference are unclear, factors such as differing levels of need for affordable housing among veteran and other households could influence the percentages.
GAO-08-324T, Rental Housing: Information on Low-Income Veterans' Housing Conditions and Participation in HUD's Programs
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Testimony:
Before the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, Committee
on Financial Services, House of Representatives:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
For Release on Delivery Expected at 10:00 a.m. EST:
Wednesday, December 5, 2007:
Rental Housing:
Information on Low-Income Veterans' Housing Conditions and
Participation in HUD's Programs:
Statement of David G. Wood, Director:
Financial Markets and Community Investment:
Rental Housing:
GAO-08-324T:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-08-324T, a testimony before the Subcommittee on
Housing and Community Opportunity, Committee on Financial Services,
House of Representatives.
Why GAO Did This Study:
Veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan could increase
demand for affordable rental housing. Households with low incomes (80
percent or less of the area median income) generally are eligible to
receive rental assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban
Development‘s (HUD) housing choice voucher, public housing, and project-
based programs. However, because rental assistance is not an
entitlement, not all who are eligible receive assistance.
This testimony, based on a 2007 report, discusses (1) the income status
and demographic and housing characteristics of veteran renter
households, (2) how HUD‘s rental assistance programs treat veteran
status (whether a person is a veteran or not) and whether they use a
veteran‘s preference, and (3) the extent to which HUD‘s rental
assistance programs served veterans in fiscal year 2005. The 2007
report discussed in this testimony made no recommendations.
What GAO Found:
In 2005, an estimated 2.3 million veteran renter households had low
incomes. The proportion of veteran renter households that were low
income varied by state but did not fall below 41 percent. Further, an
estimated 1.3 million, or about 56 percent of these low-income veteran
households nationwide, had housing affordability problems”that is,
rental costs exceeding 30 percent of household income (see map for
state percentages). Compared with other (nonveteran) renter households,
however, veterans were somewhat less likely to be low income or have
housing affordability problems.
HUD‘s major rental assistance programs are not required to take a
household‘s veteran status into account when determining eligibility
and calculating subsidy amounts, but eligible veterans can receive
assistance. The majority of the 41 largest public housing agencies that
administer the housing choice voucher or public housing programs had no
veterans‘ preference for admission. The 13 largest performance-based
contract administrators that oversaw most properties under project-
based programs reported that owners generally did not adopt a veterans‘
preference.
In fiscal year 2005, an estimated 11 percent of all eligible low-income
veteran households (at least 250,000) received assistance, compared
with 19 percent of nonveteran households. Although the reasons for the
difference are unclear, factors such as differing levels of need for
affordable housing among veteran and other households could influence
the percentages.
Figure: Percentage of Low-Income Veteran Renter Households with Housing
Affordability Problems, by State, 2005:
This figure is a map of the United States with highlighted states
showing percentages of low-income veteran renter households with
housing affordability problems, by state, 2005.
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of sample survey data from 2005 American Community
Survey; Art Explosion (map).
[End of figure]
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
[hyperlink, http://www.GAO-08-324T. For more information, contact David
G. Wood at (202) 512-8678 or woodd@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Madam Chairwoman and Members of the Subcommittee:
I appreciate the opportunity to be here today to discuss our work on
the housing conditions of veterans with low incomes and their
participation in HUD's rental assistance programs. As you know,
disproportionately large numbers of military veterans have appeared
among the homeless population in recent years, raising concerns about
the incomes and housing conditions of veterans who rent, rather than
own, their homes. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),
on any given night at least 194,000 veterans were homeless in fiscal
year 2005--about one-third of the adult homeless population--and many
veteran renters could be on the verge of homelessness if they have low
incomes or precarious living conditions in overcrowded or substandard
housing.[Footnote 1] The return of more veterans from service in Iraq
and Afghanistan--some with significant physical and psychological
challenges--could increase demand for affordable housing with
supportive services such as mental health and substance abuse
treatment.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the primary
federal provider of rental housing assistance through its housing
choice voucher, public housing, and project-based programs. Vouchers
assist households in paying rent for units of their choice in the
private market, while public housing and project-based programs assist
households by subsidizing the rents of specifically designated units.
These programs generally serve low-income households--those with
incomes that are 80 percent or less of their local area median incomes.
However, because the rental assistance programs are not entitlement
programs--the extent of assistance is limited by the amount of
appropriated funds--not all renter households that are eligible receive
assistance. My testimony refers to households that do not receive
rental assistance as "unassisted."
My statement is based on our August 2007 report, Rental Housing:
Information on Low-Income Veterans' Housing Conditions and
Participation in HUD's Programs.[Footnote 2] Specifically, my statement
discusses (1) the income status and demographic and housing
characteristics of veteran renter households; (2) how HUD's rental
assistance programs treat veteran status (that is, whether a person is
a veteran or not) and veteran-specific benefits in determining
eligibility and subsidy amounts; (3) the extent to which public housing
agencies and property owners--third parties who administer rental
assistance programs on HUD's behalf--establish veterans' preferences in
their administrative and tenant selection plans; and (4) the extent to
which HUD's rental assistance programs served veteran households in
fiscal year 2005.
In preparing our recent report, we analyzed data from the Bureau of the
Census' (Census) 2005 American Community Survey (ACS) on the income
status and demographic and housing characteristics of veteran
households. Using income categories established by HUD for calendar
year 2005, we estimated the number of veteran households in the ACS
with incomes that were low (80 percent or less of the area median
income), very low (50 percent or less of the area median income), and
extremely low (30 percent or less of the area median income).[Footnote
3] We also used information on veteran households in ACS to describe
certain demographic characteristics, and the cost and quality of their
housing.[Footnote 4] To determine how HUD's rental assistance programs
treat a household's veteran status (that is, whether the household
includes a veteran or not) in determining eligibility and subsidy
amounts, we reviewed HUD's eligibility policies and regulations on
rental assistance programs and interviewed officials from HUD and VA.
To determine whether public housing agencies and property owners
participating in HUD's programs have established a veterans' preference
for households, we interviewed officials from the 41 largest agencies
that administer the public housing program and/or the voucher program,
and from the 13 largest performance-based contract administrators that
oversee property management under project-based rental assistance
programs.[Footnote 5] Information on preferences, however, is not
statistically generalizable to the other public housing agencies and
property owners. Finally, to determine the extent to which HUD's rental
assistance programs served veteran households in fiscal year 2005, we
matched data from HUD on program participants with data from VA on
living veterans and used these matched data to estimate the percentage
of low-income veteran renter households that received HUD assistance.
For all of our research objectives, we consulted with officials from
various housing and veteran groups. We conducted our work in Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., from March 2006
through July 2007 in accordance with generally accepted government
auditing standards.
In brief, we found the following:
In 2005, an estimated 2.3 million veteran renter households, or about
53 percent of all veteran renter households nationwide, were low income
(their household incomes were 80 percent or less of their areas' median
household incomes), and more than half of these low-income households
had problems affording their rent. The number of low-income veteran
renter households varied considerably by state, from a high of 236,000
in California (representing 10 percent of all low-income veteran
renters nationwide) to less than 6,000 in Wyoming. While the
percentages of renter households that were low-income varied by state,
in no state did the proportion fall below 41 percent. In terms of
demographic characteristics, we found the following:
* More than one-third of low-income veteran renter households included
a veteran who was elderly or had a disability.[Footnote 6]
* An estimated 1.3 million, or about 56 percent of low-income veteran
renter households, had housing affordability problems--that is, their
rental costs exceeded 30 percent of their household incomes. The extent
of housing affordability problems varied significantly by state. For
example, Nevada had the highest percentage of low-income veteran
renters with affordability problems (about 70 percent), while North
Dakota had the lowest percentage (about 37 percent).
* Nationally, a small percentage (less than 3 percent) of low-income
veteran renters lived in overcrowded or inadequate housing.
Finally, in general, veteran renter households were less likely to be
low-income, have affordability problems, or live in overcrowded or
inadequate housing than were other (nonveteran) households.
HUD's major rental assistance programs are not required to take a
household's veteran status into account when determining eligibility
and calculating subsidy amounts, but eligible veterans can receive
assistance. HUD is not required to collect, and does not collect, any
information that identifies the veteran status of assisted households.
When determining income eligibility and subsidy amounts, HUD generally
does not distinguish between income sources that are specific to
veterans, such as VA-provided benefits, and other sources of income;
rather, HUD takes into account the type of income, such as whether it
is recurring or not. Finally, although HUD rental assistance programs
generally do not target veterans, HUD allocated about 1,800 vouchers in
the early 1990s for placing formerly homeless veterans with severe
psychiatric or substance abuse disorders into affordable rental
housing, but usage of these vouchers has been declining--as of the end
of fiscal year 2006, about 1,000 vouchers remained in use.
The majority of the 41 largest public housing agencies we contacted
have no veterans' preference for admission to their public housing or
voucher programs, and all of the 13 largest performance-based contract
administrators we contacted told us that owners of project-based
properties that they oversee generally do not have a veterans'
preference. Specifically, according to our interviews with 34 of the
largest housing agencies that administer public housing programs, 14
(about 41 percent) offered a veterans' preference in fiscal year 2006,
and 13 of the 40 largest agencies (about 33 percent) that administer
the housing choice voucher program offered a veterans' preference.
Officials from all of the 13 largest contract administrators told us
that owners of project-based properties that they oversee generally do
not employ a veterans' preference when selecting tenants.
Low-income veteran households were less likely to receive HUD rental
assistance than other low-income households (that is, nonveteran
households). Specifically, of all low-income veteran households, an
estimated 11 percent received HUD rental assistance in fiscal year
2005, whereas an estimated 19 percent of other low-income households
received assistance. Although the reasons for the difference are
unclear, based on our analyses and discussions with HUD officials,
various factors could influence the percentage of eligible veteran
households that receive HUD rental assistance--for example, different
levels of need for affordable housing among veteran and other
households and public housing agencies' and property owners' use of
veterans' preference. In fiscal year 2005, at least 250,000 low-income
veteran households received rental assistance under HUD's programs--
representing about 6 percent of all households that received such
assistance. Compared with other (nonveteran) assisted households,
veteran assisted households were as likely to be elderly but were more
likely to have a disability.
Background:
According to Census data, in 2005 an estimated 21.9 million households,
or 20 percent of the 111.1 million households nationwide, were "veteran
households"--that is, they had at least one member who was a military
veteran. Most veteran households--about 80 percent--owned their own
homes, a significantly higher percentage than was the case for other
(nonveteran) households (about 64 percent). About 4.3 million veteran
households rented their homes. Census data also show that renter
households were more likely to be low-income than were owner-occupied
households; in 2005, about 66 percent of renter households were low-
income while 32 percent of homeowners were low-income.
VA, through a variety of programs, provides federal assistance to
veterans who are homeless, and also provides homeownership assistance,
but does not provide rental assistance. One of the agency's largest
programs for homeless veterans is the Homeless Providers Grant and Per
Diem program, which provides funding to nonprofit and public agencies
to help temporarily shelter veterans. VA also administers eight other
programs for outreach and treatment of homeless veterans.[Footnote 7]
In addition to its homelessness programs, VA provides a variety of
programs, services, and benefits to veterans and their
families.[Footnote 8]
HUD provides rental housing assistance through three major programs--
housing choice voucher, public housing, and project-based. In fiscal
year 2005, these programs provided rental assistance to about 4.8
million households and paid about $28 billion in rental subsidies.
These three programs generally serve low-income households--that is,
households with incomes less than or equal to 80 percent of their local
area median incomes. Most of these programs have targets for households
with extremely low incomes--30 percent or less of their area median
incomes. HUD-assisted households generally pay 30 percent of their
monthly income, after certain adjustments, toward their unit's rent.
[Footnote 9] HUD pays the difference between the household's
contribution and the unit's rent (under the voucher and project-based
programs) and the difference between the public housing agencies'
operating costs and rental receipts for public housing.
More Than Half of Low-Income Veteran Renter Households Had Housing
Affordability Problems:
According to our analysis of ACS data, of the 4.3 million veteran
households that rented their homes, an estimated 2.3 million, or about
53 percent were low-income in 2005. As shown in table 1, the largest
share of these 2.3 million households was concentrated in the highest
low-income category--that is, 50.1 to 80 percent of the area median
income--with somewhat smaller shares in the two lower categories. The
table also shows that other renter households (that is, households
without a veteran member) were even more likely to be low-income than
veteran renter households.
Table 1: Veteran and Other Renter Households, by Income Category, 2005:
Income category (as a percentage of the area median income): All low
income (80% or less);
Veteran household: Number: 2,282,720;
Veteran household: Percentage: 53%;
Other household: Number: 22,012,930;
Other household: Percentage: 68%.
Income category (as a percentage of the area median income): 50.1 to
80%;
Veteran household: Number: 966,865;
Veteran household: Percentage: 22;
Other household: Number: 6,774,065;
Other household: Percentage: 21.
Income category (as a percentage of the area median income): 30.1 to
50%;
Veteran household: Number: 674,085;
Veteran household: Percentage: 16;
Other household: Number: 6,101,435;
Other household: Percentage: 19.
Income category (as a percentage of the area median income): 30% or
less;
Veteran household: Number: 641,770;
Veteran household: Percentage: 15;
Other household: Number: 9,137,430;
Other household: Percentage: 28.
Income category (as a percentage of the area median income): Not low
income (greater than 80%);
Veteran household: Number: 2,023,755;
Veteran household: Percentage: 47;
Other household: Number: 10,452,230;
Other household: Percentage: 32.
Source: GAO analysis of sample survey data from 2005 ACS.
[End of table]
The estimated numbers of low-income veteran renter households in 2005
varied greatly by state, from some 236,000 in California--the most of
any state--to less than 6,000 in each of 3 states--Delaware, Vermont,
and Wyoming. [Footnote 10] The percentages of veteran renter households
that were low-income in 2005 also varied considerably by state, from
about 65 percent in Michigan to about 41 percent in Virginia. Further
details on how these figures varied by state, including maps, can be
found in appendix I. In addition, a significant proportion of low-
income veteran renter households included a veteran who was elderly or
had a disability. Specifically, an estimated 816,000 (36 percent of
these veteran households) had at least one veteran who was elderly
(that is, 62 years of age or older); and 887,000 (39 percent) had at
least one veteran member with a disability.
More Than Half of Low-Income Veteran Renters Had Problems Affording
Their Rents:
According to our analysis of ACS data, an estimated 1.3 million low-
income veteran households, or about 56 percent of the approximate 2.3
million such households, had rents that exceeded 30 percent of their
household income in 2005 (see table 2). These veteran renter households
had what HUD terms "moderate" or "severe" problems affording their
rent.[Footnote 11] Specifically, about 31 percent of low-income veteran
renter households had moderate affordability problems, and about 26
percent had severe affordability problems. The remainder either paid 30
percent or less of their household income in rent, reported zero
income, or did not pay cash rent. In comparison, a higher proportion of
other low-income renter households had moderate or severe housing
affordability problems.
Table 2: Housing Affordability for Low-Income Renter Households, 2005:
Affordability category: Affordability problem;
Veteran household: Number: 1,284,540;
Veteran household: Percentage: 56%;
Other household: Number: 13,855,530;
Other household: Percentage: 63%.
Affordability category: Affordability problem: Moderate;
Veteran household: Number: 699,470;
Veteran household: Percentage: 31;
Other household: Number: 6,260,495;
Other household: Percentage: 28.
Affordability category: Affordability problem: Severe;
Veteran household: Number: 585,070;
Veteran household: Percentage: 26;
Other household: Number: 7,595,035;
Other household: Percentage: 35.
Affordability category: No affordability problem;
Veteran household: Number: 763,640;
Veteran household: Percentage: 33;
Other household: Number: 6,264,690;
Other household: Percentage: 28.
Affordability category: Zero income/no cash rent;
Veteran household: Number: 234,535;
Veteran household: Percentage: 10;
Other household: Number: 1,892,710;
Other household: Percentage: 9.
Source: GAO analysis of sample survey data from 2005 ACS.
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
[End of table]
The extent of housing affordability problems among low-income veteran
renter households varied significantly by state in 2005 (see fig. 1).
The median percentage of low-income veteran renters with affordability
problems nationwide was 54 percent. California and Nevada had the
highest proportions of affordability problems among low-income veteran
renter households--about 68 and 70 percent, respectively. North Dakota
and Nebraska had the smallest--about 37 and 41 percent, respectively.
Figure 1: Percentage of Low-Income Veteran Renter Households with
Housing Affordability Problems, by State, 2005:
This figure is a map of the United States with highlighted states
showing percentages of low-income veteran renter households with
housing affordability problems, by state, 2005.
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of sample survey data from 2005 American Community
Survey; Art Explosion (map).
Note: Three states and the District of Columbia had margins of error of
more than 10 percentage points.
[End of figure]
Small Percentage of Low-Income Veteran Renter Households Lived in
Overcrowded or Inadequate Housing:
A relatively small percentage of veteran households lived in
overcrowded or inadequate housing in 2005. Specifically, an estimated
73,000, or 3 percent, of low-income veteran renter households lived in
overcrowded housing--housing with more than one person per room--and
less than 18,000, or about 1 percent, lived in severely overcrowded
housing--housing with more than one and a half persons per
room.[Footnote 12] In contrast, an estimated 1.5 million, or 7 percent,
of other low-income renter households lived in overcrowded housing, and
about 423,000, or 2 percent, lived in severely overcrowded housing.
Finally, ACS data indicate that a very small share of low-income
veteran renters lived in inadequate housing. ACS provides very limited
information about the quality of the housing unit; the survey
classifies a unit as inadequate if it lacks complete plumbing or
kitchen facilities, or both.[Footnote 13] In 2005, an estimated 53,000,
or 2 percent, of low-income veteran renter households lived in
inadequate housing. In comparison, an estimated 334,000, or 2 percent,
of other households lived in inadequate housing.
HUD Rental Assistance Programs Do Not Take Veteran Status into Account
When Determining Eligibility or Subsidy Amounts:
HUD's major rental assistance programs are not required to take a
household's veteran status into account when determining eligibility
and calculating subsidy amounts. (Consequently, HUD does not collect
any information that identifies the veteran status of assisted
households.) As with other households, veterans can benefit from HUD
rental assistance provided that they meet all of the programs' income
and other eligibility criteria. For example, assisted households must
meet U.S. citizenship requirements and, for some of the rental
assistance programs, HUD's criteria for an elderly household or a
household with a disability.
When determining income eligibility and subsidy amounts, HUD generally
does not distinguish between income sources that are specific to
veterans, such as VA-provided benefits, and other types of income. HUD
policies define household income as the anticipated gross annual income
of the household, which includes income from all sources received by
the family head, spouse, and each additional family member who is 18
years of age or older. Specifically, annual income includes, but is not
limited to, wages and salaries, periodic amounts from pensions or death
benefits, and unemployment and disability compensation.[Footnote 14]
HUD policies identify 39 separate income sources and benefits that are
excluded when determining eligibility and subsidy amounts. These
exclusions relate to income that is nonrecurring or sporadic in nature,
health care benefits, student financial aid, and assistance from
certain employment training and economic self-sufficiency
programs.[Footnote 15]
We found that, based on HUD's policies on income exclusions, most types
of income and benefits that veteran households receive from VA would be
excluded when determining eligibility for HUD's programs and subsidy
amounts. Many of the excluded benefits relate to payments that veteran
households receive under certain economic self-sufficiency programs or
nonrecurring payments such as insurance claims. Of the benefits
included, most are associated with recurring or regular sources of
income, such as disability compensation, pensions, and survivor death
benefits.
Of the 39 exclusions, we found that two income exclusions specifically
applied to certain veteran households but, according to HUD, these
exclusions are rarely used. These income exclusions are (1) payments
made to Vietnam War-era veterans from the Agent Orange Settlement Fund
and (2) payments to children of Vietnam War-era veterans who suffer
from spina bifida. The two exclusions are identified in federal
statutes that are separate from those authorizing the three major
rental assistance programs.[Footnote 16]
HUD does provide rental assistance vouchers specifically to veterans
under a small program called the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans
Affairs Supportive Housing program (HUD-VASH). Established in 1992, HUD-
VASH is jointly funded by HUD and VA and offers homeless veterans an
opportunity to obtain permanent housing, as well as ongoing case
management and supportive services. HUD allocated these special
vouchers to selected public housing agencies that had applied for
funding, and VA was responsible for identifying participants based on
specific eligibility criteria, including the veteran's need for
treatment of a mental illness or substance abuse disorder.[Footnote 17]
Under the HUD-VASH initiative, HUD allocated 1,753 vouchers from fiscal
years 1992 through 1994. HUD funded these vouchers for 5 years and, if
a veteran left the program during this period, the housing agency had
to reissue the voucher to another eligible veteran.[Footnote 18]
According to VA officials, after the 5-year period ended, housing
agencies had the option of continuing to use their allocation of
vouchers for HUD-VASH, or could discontinue participation whenever a
veteran left the program (that is, the housing agency would not provide
the voucher to another eligible veteran upon turnover). VA stated that
after the 5-year period ended, many housing agencies decided not to
continue in HUD-VASH after assisted veterans left the program; instead,
housing agencies exercised the option of providing these vouchers to
other households under the housing choice voucher program.[Footnote 19]
As a result, the number of veterans that receive HUD-VASH vouchers has
declined. Based on information from VA, about 1,000 veterans were in
the program as of the end of fiscal year 2006, and absent any policy
changes, this number is likely to decline to 400 because housing
agencies responsible for more than 600 vouchers have decided not to
continue providing these vouchers to other veterans as existing
participants leave the program.
Congress statutorily authorized HUD-VASH as part of the Homeless
Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001.[Footnote 20] Under the
act, Congress also authorized HUD to allocate 500 vouchers each fiscal
year from 2003 through 2006--a total of 2,000 additional vouchers. In
December 2006, Congress extended this authorization through fiscal year
2011--allocating an additional 2,500 vouchers or 500 each year.
However, HUD has not requested, and Congress has not appropriated,
funds for any of the vouchers authorized from fiscal years 2003 through
2007.[Footnote 21]
Most Contacted Housing Agencies and Owners of Project-Based Properties
Did Not Offer Veterans' Preference for Admission to HUD's Rental
Assistance Programs:
Currently, HUD's policies give public housing agencies and owners of
project-based properties the discretion to establish preferences for
certain groups when selecting households for housing assistance.
Preferences affect only the order of applicants on a waiting list for
assistance; they do not determine eligibility for housing assistance.
Before 1998, federal law required housing agencies and property owners
to offer a preference to eligible applicants to their subsidized
housing programs who (1) had been involuntarily displaced, (2) were
living in substandard housing, or (3) were paying more than half their
income for rent. Public housing agencies were required by law to
allocate at least 50 percent of their public housing units and 90
percent of their housing choice vouchers to applicants who met these
criteria. Similarly, project-based owners had to allocate 70 percent of
their units to newly admitted households that met these criteria. The
Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) gave more
flexibility to housing agencies and project-based property owners to
administer their programs, in part by eliminating the mandated housing
preferences.[Footnote 22] Although it gave housing agencies and owners
more flexibility, QHWRA required that public housing agencies and
owners target assistance to extremely low-income households.[Footnote
23]
Under QHWRA, housing agencies and owners of project-based properties
may, but are not required to, establish preferences to better direct
resources to those with the greatest housing needs in their areas.
Public housing agencies can select applicants on the basis of local
preferences provided that their process is consistent with their
administrative plan.[Footnote 24] HUD policy requires housing agencies
to specify their preferences in their administrative plans, and HUD
reviews these preferences to ensure that they conform to
nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity requirements.
Similarly, HUD policy allows owners of project-based properties to
establish preferences as long as the preferences are specified in their
written tenant selection plans.[Footnote 25] While HUD requires housing
agencies and property owners to disclose their preferences in their
administrative or tenant selection plans, HUD officials said the
department does not compile or systematically track this information
because public housing agencies and property owners are not required to
have preferences.
Most of the 41 public housing agencies we contacted used a preference
system for admission to their public housing and housing choice voucher
programs, but less than half offered a veterans' preference. As shown
in table 3, of the 34 largest housing agencies that administered the
public housing program, 29 established preferences for admission to the
program and 14 used a veterans' preference. Similarly, of the 40
housing agencies that administered the housing choice voucher program,
34 used admission preferences, and 13 employed a preference for
veterans. According to public housing agency officials, the most common
preferences used for both programs were for working families,
individuals who were unable to work because of age or disability, and
individuals who had been involuntarily displaced or were homeless. Of
course, veterans could benefit from these admission preferences if they
met the criteria.
Table 3: Number of Contacted Housing Agencies That Used a Preference
System in Their Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs:
Public housing agency's use of preferences: Agencies with a preference
system;
Public housing: 29;
Vouchers: 34.
Public housing agency's use of preferences: With a veterans'
preference;
Public housing: 14;
Vouchers: 13.
Public housing agency's use of preferences: Without a veterans'
preference;
Public housing: 15;
Vouchers: 21.
Public housing agency's use of preferences: Agencies with no preference
system;
Public housing: 5;
Vouchers: 6.
Source: GAO.
Note: Of the 41 housing agencies we contacted, 7 did not administer a
public housing program and 1 did not administer a voucher program.
[End of table]
Some of the public housing agencies we contacted offered veterans'
preferences because their states required them to do so. Other housing
agency officials told us they offered a veterans' preference because
they believed it was important to serve the needs of low-income
veterans since they had done so much for the well-being of others.
Public housing agencies that we contacted that did not offer a
veterans' preference gave various reasons for their decisions. Some
officials told us that the housing agency did not need a veterans'
preference because veteran applicants generally qualified under other
preference categories, such as elderly or disabled. One housing agency
official we contacted said a veterans' preference was not needed
because of the relatively small number of veterans in the community.
According to all of the performance-based contract administrators we
contacted, owners of project-based properties that they oversee
generally did not employ a veterans' preference when selecting tenants.
Ten of the 13 largest contract administrators told us, based on their
review of property owners' tenant selection plans, that owners of
project-based properties generally did not employ preferences for any
specific population.[Footnote 26] Officials from the remaining three
contract administrators said they were aware of some property owners
offering preferences to individuals who had been involuntarily
displaced, working families, or those unable to work because of age or
disability. However, all the contract administrators we contacted
either said that property owners did not use preferences or agreed that
the use of preferences, including a veterans' preference, among owners
of properties with project-based assistance was limited. HUD officials
to whom we spoke also stated, based on their experience with tenant
selection plans, that the use of preferences at project-based
properties likely was infrequent.
At Least 250,000 Veteran Households Received HUD Rental Assistance, but
Veterans Were Less Likely to Receive Such Assistance Than Other Low-
Income Households:
Low-income veteran renter households were less likely to receive HUD
rental assistance than other households. As shown in table 4, of the
total 2.3 million veteran renter households with low incomes, about
250,000 (or 11 percent) received HUD assistance. In comparison, of the
22 million other renter households with low incomes, 4.1 million (about
19 percent) received HUD assistance.[Footnote 27] (As noted previously,
although HUD is the largest provider of federal rental housing
assistance to low-income households, it is not the sole source of such
assistance. Thus, these percentages likely understate the actual share
of all eligible veteran renter households that receive federal rental
assistance.)
Table 4: Estimated Number of Low-Income Veteran and Other Renter
Households, by HUD Assistance, 2005:
Households in thousands.
HUD assisted;
Veteran household: Number: 254;
Veteran household: Percentage: 11%;
Other household: Number: 4,147;
Other household: Percentage: 19%.
Unassisted;
Veteran household: Number: 1,794;
Veteran household: Percentage: 78;
Other household: Number: 15,933;
Other household: Percentage: 73.
With an affordability problem;
Veteran household: Number: 1,285;
Veteran household: Percentage: 56;
Other household: Number: 13,856;
Other household: Percentage: 63.
Without an affordability problem[A];
Veteran household: Number: 509;
Veteran household: Percentage: 22;
Other household: Number: 2,117;
Other household: Percentage: 10.
Other[B];
Veteran household: Number: 235;
Veteran household: Percentage: 10;
Other household: Number: 1,893;
Other household: Percentage: 9.
Sources: GAO analysis of VA's Beneficiary Identification and Records
Location Subsystem (BIRLS), HUD's Public and Indian Housing Information
Center (PIC) and Tenant Rental Assistance Certification System (TRACS),
and sample survey data from 2005 ACS.
[A] ACS does not identify households that receive federal rental
assistance. Therefore, to determine the number of unassisted low-income
households without an affordability problem, we took the difference
between the number of HUD-assisted households derived from HUD data
systems and ACS' reported number of low-income renter households
without an affordability problem. We assumed that HUD-assisted
households were included in ACS data among those households that did
not have an affordability problem.
[B] "Other" includes households that reported zero income or paid no
cash rent.
[C] Household counts and percentages may not add due to rounding.
[End of table]
The reasons why other households were nearly twice as likely as veteran
households to receive HUD assistance are unclear. However, based on our
analyses and discussions with agency officials, we identified some
potential explanations. For example:
* As previously noted, although a significant proportion of low-income
veteran households face affordability problems, an even larger
proportion of other (nonveteran) households face more severe
affordability problems. Thus, the level of veteran demand for rental
assistance may be lower than that of nonveteran households.
* Also as previously noted, HUD rental assistance programs do not take
veteran status into account when determining eligibility, and most
public housing agencies and property owners do not offer veterans'
preferences. As a result, these policy decisions likely focus resources
on other types of low-income households with housing needs.
* Although low-income households generally are eligible to receive
rental assistance from HUD's three programs, statutory requirements
mandate that a certain percentage of new program participants must be
extremely low income. These targeting requirements may lead to a higher
share of HUD rental assistance going to nonveteran households because
veteran households generally are less likely to fall within the
extremely low-income category.
The estimated 250,000 veteran households that received HUD rental
assistance in 2005 constituted about 6 percent of all HUD-assisted
households. The housing choice voucher program served the largest
number of veteran households, followed by the project-based program,
and public housing (see fig. 3). However, a slightly higher proportion
of veteran households participated in the public housing program (6.9
percent) than participated in the voucher (5.7 percent) and project-
based (5.2 percent) programs.
Figure 2: Number and Percentage of Low-Income Veteran Households
Assisted by the Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Programs,
Fiscal Year 2005:
This figure is a combination bar and pie chart showing number and
percentage of low income veteran households assisted by the voucher,
public housing, and project-based programs, fiscal year 2005.
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of VA's Beneficiary Identification and Records
Location Subsystem and HUD's Public Housing Information Center and
Tenant Rental Assistance Certification System.
[End of figure]
We found some similarities in the demographic characteristics of
veterans and other assisted households we analyzed. For example:
* Compared with other assisted households, HUD-assisted veteran
households were as likely to be elderly. Specifically, in fiscal year
2005, about 75,000, or 30 percent, of assisted veteran households were
elderly, and about 1.3 million, or 31 percent, of other assisted
households were elderly.
* HUD-assisted veteran households were more likely to have a
disability. In fiscal year 2005, HUD provided assistance to about
88,000 veteran households with a disability, or about 34 percent of
assisted veteran households. In comparison, 1.2 million or 28 percent
of other assisted households had a disability.
Our August 2007 report contains additional information on the
demographic and income characteristics of veteran and nonveteran
households, as well as the extent to which HUD programs take veteran
status into account when determining eligibility and subsidy amounts.
Madam Chairwoman, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be
happy to answer any questions at this time.
Contact and Acknowledgement:
For further information on this testimony, please contact David G. Wood
at (202) 512-8678 or woodd@gao.gov. Contact points from our Office of
Congressional Relations may be found on the last page of this
statement. Individuals making key contributions to this testimony
included Marianne Anderson, Michelle Bowsky, Daniel Garcia-Diaz, John
T. McGrail, Josephine Perez, and Rose Schuville.
[End of section]
Appendix I: Numbers and Percentages of Low-Income Veteran Renter
Households by State:
The estimated numbers of low-income veteran renter households in 2005
varied greatly by state, as shown in figure 4. The estimated median
number of low-income veteran renters in any state was about 34,000.
California had significantly more low-income veteran renter households
than any other state--more than 236,000, or about 10 percent of all
such households nationwide--followed by Texas with about 142,000, and
New York with about 135,000. The states with the smallest number of low-
income veteran households were Vermont, Delaware, and Wyoming with less
than 6,000 each.
Figure 3: Number of Low-Income Veteran Renter Households, by State,
2005:
This figure is a map of the United States highlighted with the number
of low-income veteran renter households, by State, 2005.
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of sample survey data from 2005 ACS; Art Explosion
(map).
Note: Twenty-two states had margins of error of more than 10 percent,
and two states and the District of Columbia had margins of error that
were more than 20 percent.
[End of figure]
As shown in figure 5, the percentages of veteran renter households that
were low-income in 2005 also varied considerably by state. Michigan had
the highest percentage--about 65 percent of its veteran renter
households were low income, while Virginia had the lowest--about 41
percent.
Figure 4: Percentage of Veteran Renter Households That Were Low-Income,
by State, 2005:
This figure is a map of the United States highlighted with the
percentage of veteran renter households that were low-income, by state,
2005.
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of sample money data from 2005 ACS; Art Explosion
(map).
[End of figure]
Footnotes:
[1] We use the Bureau of the Census's definition of a veteran:
generally, a person who is 18 years of age or older and has served on
active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast
Guard in the past, but is no longer on active duty. Persons who have
served in the National Guard or Military Reserves are classified as
veterans only if they have been called or ordered to active duty.
[2] GAO-07-1012. This report was mandated by the conference report
accompanying the Fiscal Year 2006 Military Quality of Life and Veterans
Affairs Appropriations Act.
[3] Not included in the 2005 ACS survey universe are individuals who
live in group quarters--which include college dormitories, correctional
facilities, and certain types of nursing facilities and hospitals--or
homeless individuals.
[4] Unless otherwise noted, all reported numeric estimates derived from
ACS are subject to sampling errors of plus or minus 10 percent or less
of the value of those numeric estimates.
[5] We contacted or visited 41 different public housing agencies. Of
these, 33 administered both the public housing and voucher programs, 7
administered the voucher program only, and 1 administered the public
housing program only. Nationwide, there are more than 4,000 public
housing agencies.
[6] In this testimony, we consider a veteran renter household to be
elderly if at least one veteran member was 62 years or older. A veteran
renter household with a disability contains at least one veteran member
with a disability as defined by Census.
[7] See GAO, Homeless Veterans Programs: Improved Communications and
Follow-up Could Further Enhance the Grant and Per Diem Program, GAO-06-
859 (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 11, 2006).
[8] U.S.C. Title 38, Part II General Benefits, and Part III
Readjustment and Related Benefits.
[9] A tenant's rent is based on a family's anticipated gross annual
income--that is, income from all sources received by the family head,
spouse, and each additional family member who is 18 years of age or
older, less applicable exclusions and deductions. There are 44
different types of income exclusions and deductions.
[10] Estimates derived from the ACS, like all survey data, contain
sampling errors (that is, such estimates would be different if the
survey had selected another sample). Since each sample could have
provided different estimates, we express our confidence in the
precision of this sample's results as 90 percent confidence intervals.
We express this type of error as a margin of error, which is the
difference between an estimate and its upper or lower confidence
interval, and we express the margin of error as a percentage. The
margins of errors were larger for Vermont, Delaware, and Wyoming
(exceeding plus or minus 20 percent) than those for the other states
because of the relatively small sample size used to derive the
estimates (see app. II in GAO-07-1012 for margins of error for each
state and the District of Columbia).
[11] HUD classifies a housing affordability problem as "moderate" if
housing costs are between 30.1 percent and 50 percent of household
income and "severe" if housing costs are more than 50 percent.
[12] HUD's regulation defines housing overcrowding as a housing unit
with 1.01 or more persons per room (see 24 C.F.R. 791.402) but does not
provide a definition for severe overcrowding. The measure of severe
overcrowding to which we refer in this report (1.51 or more persons per
room) is commonly used for statistical reporting purposes.
[13] According to ACS, a housing unit has complete plumbing if it has
(1) hot and cold piped water, (2) a flush toilet, and (3) a bathtub or
shower and complete kitchen facilities if it has (1) a sink with piped
water, (2) a stove or range, and (3) a refrigerator.
[14] 24 C.F.R. 5.609.
[15] In addition to these 39 income exclusions, program administrators
must also apply five income deductions to determine the household's
adjusted income--that is, the amount of income used to calculate the
household's rental contribution, which include standard amounts for
each dependent and for elderly family members and those with
disabilities. See 24 C.F.R. 5.611.
[16] Pub. L. Nos. 101-201 and 104-204.
[17] The veteran also must meet HUD's eligibility requirements for the
housing choice voucher program.
[18] HUD Notices of Funding Availability for the Section 8 Set-Aside
for Homeless Veterans with Severe Psychiatric or Substance Abuse
Disorders, Fiscal Years 1992, 1993, and 1994.
[19] According to the VA, veterans receiving HUD-VASH vouchers may
leave the program because, for example, they no longer need or qualify
for assistance.
[20] Pub. L. No. 107-95.
[21] Recently, the HUD fiscal year 2008 appropriations bill, H.R. 3074,
contains $75 million for the HUD-VASH program. The vouchers funded by
the appropriation are to remain available for homeless veterans upon
turnover. The House recently adopted the conference report accompanying
H.R. 3074.
[22] The use of the federal preference requirement was temporarily
suspended by the continuing resolution enacted in January 1996 through
the appropriations act for fiscal year 1998.
[23] Specifically, QHWRA required that not less than 75 percent of new
program participants under the voucher program and not less than 40
percent under the public housing and project-based Section 8 programs
be extremely low income.
[24] A public housing agency's administrative plan is a comprehensive
guide to the agency's policies, programs, operations, and strategies
for meeting local housing needs and goals. There are two parts to the
plan: (1) the 5-Year Plan, which each housing agency submits to HUD
once every fifth public housing agency's fiscal year and (2) the Annual
Plan, which is submitted to HUD every year.
[25] A tenant selection plan is a comprehensive guide that describes
the owners' tenant selection policies and procedures. These plans
include descriptions of the eligibility requirements and income limits
for admission.
[26] According to HUD policy, a preference for households that are
involuntarily displaced by government action or natural disaster
generally applies to properties that have a HUD-insured mortgage.
[27] Since a significant portion of HUD-assisted households have very
low-and extremely low-incomes, we also estimated the share of veteran
renter households in these two income categories and found that about
19 percent of them received HUD assistance (compared with about 27
percent of other households).
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