Bilirakis Announces Veteran Housing Expansion Program

Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R) announced the passage of the Ryan Kules Specially Adaptative Housing Improvement Act. The Act aims to improve and expand the VA’s Specially Adapted Housing Grant Program.

Because of limitations in the current program, the Florida lawmaker was moved to ensure that veterans receive the financial help that they need in response to the dedicated service they have given to the country.

Ryan Kules, the Wounded Warrior Project Director of Combat Stress Recovery, commented that “this law will reduce financial stress for families like mine who use or need the Specially Adapted Housing benefit,” adding that “it will provide more peace of mind, freedom, and comfort in” the homes of veterans.

Providing some insight as to why the legislation moved forward, Bilirakis commented, “when I heard of the challenges Ryan faced when he wanted to buy a new home to accommodate his growing family, because he could not use the SAH benefit a second time due to program limitations, I knew something needed to be done.” In turn, “many of these young and severely wounded warriors are returning home in their early twenties,” and “as they mature and their circumstances change through marriage, the birth of additional children, etc,” these veterans “need a benefit that changes with them so that they can fully enjoy their lives.”

The bipartisan initiative will “increase the number of times a Veteran can use their SAH grant from three to six instances,” it will “increase the cap on the number of Post 9/11 Veterans who have. Lost a limb due to their service from 30 per year to 120 per year,” and it will “authorize the VA to provide additional SAH funding to Veterans whose home no longer meets their need ten years after they had used up the funding for their grant,” among other benefits.