TDHCA providing $250,000 in down payment, home modification assistance to help 16 San Antonio low income veterans of Afghan, Iraq wars
AUSTIN – Life on the home front will soon be much brighter for 16 San Antonio veterans and their families as the result of a recent funding award by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). The City of San Antonio will receive $250,000 in state funds to provide homebuyer assistance to these low income Texans who honorably served their country in Afghanistan or Iraq. The funds may also be used to modify an existing home to improve accessibility for disabled veterans.
“All too often we hear about the difficulties veterans face finding decent housing when returning home,” said Michael Gerber, TDHCA Executive Director. “These men and women put their lives on the line to defend our nation and have served us admirably, now it’s our turn to serve them with safe, decent housing here at home.”
TDHCA made this award through its Texas Veteran’s Housing Support Program, an innovative new program supported through the state-funded Housing Trust Fund. The homebuyer assistance will provide a loan up to $35,000 to income eligible veterans seeking to buy or buy and modify single family housing. Of this amount, a maximum of $15,000 may be used for the down payment and closing costs; the balance must go toward any needed home modifications. Rehabilitation modifications are required to ensure accessibility for persons with a disability.
Gerber explained that TDHCA received seven applications for the first Texas Veteran’s Housing Support Program award cycle, with requests totaling $1.4 million. Four applications, including that from the City of San Antonio, were the first submitted, and each passed the program’s eligibility and threshold requirements. The Department is currently evaluating the remaining three applications, and he said that TDHCA could make a determination on these as early as next month. –
About the Texas Department of Housing and Community
Affairs The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs is Texas’ lead agency responsible for affordable housing, community services, energy assistance, and colonia housing programs. The Department annually administers more than $400 million through for-profit, nonprofit, and local government partnerships to deliver local housing and community-based opportunities and assistance to Texans in need.
