Two hands reaching across one in uniform and one with house keys

Veterans Emergency Housing Program

Veterans Emergency Housing Program

Overview

New York State’s Veterans Emergency Housing Assistance Fund assists New York State’s Veterans who are confronting emergency housing needs and lacking the funds to cover these immediate costs.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for these emergency funds, an applicant must be a Veteran living in New York State and facing an immediate housing hardship. An applicant must also have a personal net worth equal to or below the net worth limit established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to assess eligibility for a non-service-connected pension. 

Eligible Veterans can receive up to $2,000 apiece to help cover their emergency housing expenses.

Covered Expenses

Eligible housing needs may include, but are not necessarily limited to: 

  • Emergency financial assistance to a Veteran whose home was badly damaged in a fire or natural disaster; 
  • Renovating a Veteran’s home that is no longer accessible due to the onset or worsening of a disability;   
  • Gaining temporary shelter when a Veteran suddenly loses access to their home or a Veteran’s home becomes no longer safely habitable; 
  • Replacing or repairing an essential home appliance that has been destroyed or severely damaged (e.g., furnace, water heater, etc.); 
  • Covering rent, utilities, or property tax payments that a Veteran missed due to illness or emergency;
  • Any other payment that the Commissioner determines to fall within the purview of the program.

Apply Today

After we receive your application, a Veterans Benefits Advisor (VBA) from the NYS Department of Veterans’ Services will rapidly reach out to you. The VBA will verify your housing emergency and your household’s income, assets, and expenses. This conversation will determine your eligibility for this benefit — as well as other federal, state, and local benefits for which you may be eligible. 

After you fill out the application or need help with filling the application out please email us at: [email protected]

Click here for the Application