Silver State Times

WASHINGTON – On May 12, 2023, Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-NV), Congresswoman Michelle Steel (R-CA), and Congressman David Trone (D-MD) introduced the bipartisan Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) Congressional Charter Act. This legislation will support VAREP in expanding its services available to military and veteran communities, in southern Nevada and beyond, to further sustainable homeownership, financial-literacy education, VA home loan awareness, and economic opportunity generally.

More than 40% of our veterans leave service without having identified permanent housing, and to this date, Congress has yet to charter an organization dedicated to addressing veteran housing. This legislation would establish the first congressional charter to an organization specialized in helping veterans to navigate their VA housing benefits and to meet their homeownership needs. VAREP is a nonprofit organization specialized in providing members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families with financial counseling and educational resources to help them become homeowners. This congressional charter will help expand the reach of VAREP’s services and support, while ensuring veterans have the assistance needed to fulfill dreams of homeownership. 

“In 2023, every veteran should have the resources and support they need to secure permanent housing. In Congress, I’m committed to working every day to ensure that they do.” said Congresswoman Lee. “The Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals already provides homeownership and financial literacy education to support our veterans in southern Nevada and beyond. A congressional charter will allow them to serve veterans and their families even better, and I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to do just that with Congresswoman Steel.” 

“More than 40 percent of service members leave active service without a plan for permanent housing,” said Congresswoman Steel. “Veteran homelessness is a tragic and avoidable problem. After sacrificing so much for our nation, our veterans deserve better. That is why I am proud to introduce this legislation to make VAREP’s services more easily accessible to our active service members and veteran communities.” 

“Today, homeownership among veterans is substantially less than the national average. We can and must do better,” said Congressman Trone. “By supporting resources to increase homeownership among America’s brave, we are helping our veterans gain a stronger sense of community, build wealth and credit, and provide stability for themselves and their families. This is an effort we can all get behind.”  

VAREP is an important partner in educating and providing resources to veterans and their families across Nevada. Their portfolio includes pre-purchase counseling, predatory lending claims, housing discrimination, rental counseling, foreclosures prevention, homeless prevention, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), and HUDVASH assistance. Their education services include providing live classes, housing fairs, lunch & learns, discussion panels, and multi-format Housing Counseling Services. A congressional charter would greatly expand the reach of VAREP’s unique focus and specialized support in the real estate housing purchase process.   Congresswoman Lee is a bipartisan champion for Nevada veterans and their families. In March, Congresswoman Lee, led the bipartisan, bicameral introduction of legislation to expand access to mental health services for veterans and launch a Zero Suicide Initiative pilot program. Congresswoman Lee has been named the 10th most bipartisan member of 435 in the House and serves alongside her Republican colleagues as Vice Chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus.  

Original source can be found here.