The U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs announced recently that they will provide $33 million to expand housing assistance for veterans experiencing homelessness.

The funding will support 2,532 new housing vouchers through the HUD–Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The vouchers will be distributed through 265 public housing authorities in 44 states.

HUD also announced an additional $10 million in administrative funding for 289 public housing authorities in 46 states. The funding is intended to help agencies lease HUD-VASH vouchers and improve program administration.

According to the agencies, the new funding will increase the number of active HUD-VASH vouchers nationwide to more than 118,000.

The HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance provided through HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Services are delivered through VA medical centers, community-based outpatient clinics, contractors, and other VA providers.

Federal officials said more than 250,000 veterans have obtained permanent housing through the program since its launch in 2008.

HUD reported that veteran homelessness nationwide has declined by 56.1% since 2010, citing HUD-VASH as one of the contributing programs.

The HUD-VASH program operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.