At RollingOn, we strongly feel that housing is a basic right, especially for those who served our country. The Return Home to Housing Act, championed by my own Georgia district’s Congresswoman Nikema Williams, marks a critical step in addressing homelessness among veterans. This bill increases the reimbursement rate for transitional housing providers under the Department of Veterans Affairs' Grant and Per Diem Program by increasing the maximum reimbursement to 200 percent of the state home domiciliary rate to help providers cover the escalating costs of shelter, care, and supportive services.

Transitional housing often is a critical step toward permanence for unhoused veterans. Under the current reimbursement framework, however, only a handful of providers are able to break even to meet operational expenses. This funding gap has long hindered the effectiveness with which transitional housing programs have been serving veterans and leaving too many without needed support. By closing this gap, the Return Home to Housing Act will enable providers in every state to help more veterans on the pathway to housing security.

Congressman Williams’s act reflects a deeper commitment toward finding long-term and sustainable solutions to homelessness. Having received strong endorsements from organizations such as the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the emphasis was on collaboration between policy officials, service providers, and communities. This bipartisan legislation also underscores that honoring our veterans means not just acknowledging their service but investing in their future.

At RollingOn, we celebrate this progress and continue to commit ourselves to the fight for fair and respectful housing solutions for all people. For more information on this bill, please see the following article from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans or Congresswoman Nikema Williams’ official page

Programs like the Denver Basic Income Project demonstrate that even modest financial support can have a deep impact in uplifting low-income populations, highlighting the potential for this initiative to be realized as a model for nationwide basic income initiatives. In fact, this project’s success has propelled other cities—such as Boulder, CO—to adopt their own basic income initiatives. This changing trend signals a shift in how we must approach homelessness in America by focusing on innovative strategies for prevention. By advocating for such initiatives at RollingOn, we are not only promoting health and stability in vulnerable populations but also contributing to larger movements towards equitable social support for all. Learn more about the Denver Basic Income Project's transformative work and how it aligns with RollingOn’s mission here!