Today, Connecticut’s senior U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D) held a press conference in front of the South Park Inn in Hartford to call out the Veterans Affairs (VA) department’s delays in increasing funding to providers of services to homeless veterans.
In December 2024, the U.S. House and Senate passed the Dole Act, a bill intended to expand and improve the VA’s services and funding. The bill was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the Senate and 389-12 in the House, and was signed into law on Jan. 2, 2025, by then-president Joe Biden.
“We directed the VA to increase reimbursement, and yet the VA is failing,” said Blumenthal. “It is falling far short of the rates that are directed by the Congress, and well below the amounts that are needed by these community based organizations. That kind of neglect – it is more than neglect, it’s purposeful – on the part of the VA, is totally unacceptable.”
One of the stipulations of the bill was a dramatic increase in the reimbursement rate to service providers of the VA’s Grant and Per Diem program, the department’s largest initiative to combat veteran homelessness, supporting around 25,000 veterans nationwide. It mandated that the reimbursement rate be increased by up to 200% for state veteran homes operating in high-cost, high-demand areas, or offering extensive services.
Despite the Congressionally approved reimbursement bump, veteran homes have seen significant funding delays, which Theresa Nicholson, Executive Director of South Park Inn, said has put financial stress on the veteran home’s ability to provide services, as the cost of food and heating have risen.
“Our increased cost for food is up 25%,” said Nicholson. “So as our prices rise, our funding has remained flat or increased slightly. It’s nowhere near enough for us to do what we need to do to meet the needs of our homeless veterans and the ones who are lucky enough to be able to get into our program.”
Nicholson said that South Park Inn funds 15 beds through the Grant and Per Diem program, and is able to serve “about 40 people” on average.
“That doesn’t nearly meet the need,” said Nicholson. “The need is great, and due to insufficient funding to run the program, the resources do not meet that need.”
Blumenthal noted that the Inn is “spare and frugal,” and “not asking for luxury.” Nicholson said the “ultimate goal” of the Inn is to assist homeless veterans in finding long-term, permanent housing, “that makes their stay rare, brief and non reoccurring.”
“It takes financial resources to accomplish that,” said Nicholson.
Blumenthal, Ranking Member on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, noted that he and Mark Tanako (D-CA), Ranking Member on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, have now written VA Director Doug Collins twice in recent months to “demand that the reimbursement rates be increased.”
In the latest letter to Collins, signed Nov. 21, they noted that in years prior to the Dole Act’s passage, the VA “assured Congress the Department would be fully able to implement these changes immediately after the bill was signed into law.” The letter requested that the VA fully implement the increased funding by today, Dec. 5, and backdate the increases to Oct. 1, 2025. The letter also requested that Collins respond by releasing “a planned timeframe for implementing the increase.”
“There is no excuse for further delay,” reads the letter. “You have legal authority, funding, and appropriate policy plans in place for full implementation.”
Blumenthal acknowledged that the delays in funding have occurred in tandem with an effective 70% cut to Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program, cuts which he called “draconian” and “cruel,” and called on his Republican colleagues to demand a change to how the Trump administration has tackled homelessness.
“Colleagues know that we must meet the needs of our community organizations that address homelessness,” said Blumenthal. “My Republican colleagues have told me, privately, they recognize the need, but publicly, they unfortunately have lacked the backbone to stand up to the president, so the budget that now will come to the Congress lacks sufficient funding.”
“I challenge my Republican colleagues, and I challenge Republicans here in Connecticut to stand with us and demand that the VA do what Congress has directed, and provide higher reimbursement to South Park Inn and other community based organizations that help end veterans’ homelessness,” said Blumenthal.
“For any veteran to go homeless is absolutely abhorrent, unacceptable in the United States of America,” said Blumenthal. “Homelessness for veterans should be abolished.”
A spokesman for the VA provided comment to Inside Investigator in response to the story.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, VA recently housed the largest number of homeless Veterans in seven years,” read the statement. “This is life-changing and in many cases life-saving work. We are proud of the progress VA is making to get Veterans off the streets, and we will respond to Sen. Blumenthal’s letter directly.”
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Blu.enthjs stolen identity lying fucking coward and traitor° under obama the dem f un va were dumping thousands upon thousands of service. Connected durability cmaims in dumpsters. Blumenthal could give 2 hits. Less about veterans he’s nothing but a dem whore and traitir who has continually voted to get veterans murdered, maimed and disposed of in epidemic numbers under obama and joebama, slick willie clinton no fan of our miliary either. Drms and scum like Blumenthal are dep state whore’s who only use we veterans and the active military as their polit I called pawns. During schumers recent dem led government shutdown- this pig Blumenthal voted “nkt” to pat kur military. President Trump snd Srcretary Hegsmoth along with private donors found the money to pay our troops!!