Emergency Housing Vouchers for People at Risk Are Going Fast
U.S. housing officials say this is the fastest uptake of any federal voucher program ever undertaken.
A person experiencing homelessness near their tent in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Photographer: David Swanson/BloombergMost of the emergency housing vouchers created for people in crisis as part of the federal pandemic relief effort are now spoken for, an outcome that the White House is touting as a win in its efforts to combat homelessness.
Under the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration pledged $5 billion in support for people who are homeless, victims of domestic violence or otherwise at severe risk. So far, some 26,000 households have used these emergency vouchers to secure rental housing. Another 35,000 families have vouchers and are either searching for an apartment or finalizing their lease.