Wichita Standard

Senators Richard Blumenthal, Elizabeth Warren, and Mark Takano are calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to reverse the decision to end the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP). The program, designed to aid veterans facing foreclosure, was abruptly terminated as of April 3, 2025, affecting many veterans who may face financial hardship without its support.

“On April 3, 2025, you abruptly announced the closure of the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP), leaving tens of thousands of veterans at risk for foreclosure…We write today to urge you to immediately reverse this decision, and avoid foreclosing on veterans who simply wish to keep paying their mortgage and keep their home,” the lawmakers stated in a letter to Collins.

The VASP, a last-resort option established during the COVID-19 pandemic to help veterans avoid losing their homes, has assisted over 17,000 veterans since its inception in 2024. The lawmakers warn that not extending the program could lead to 80,000 veterans losing their homes.

Highlighting the financial vulnerability veterans face due to rising housing costs and inflation, the lawmakers urge that, “VA must ask itself: Is it more cost effective to allow veterans to lose their homes or help them? VA leaders, veterans service organizations, and housing organizations have all recently shared with Congress their concerns about ending VASP too soon.”

The letter emphasizes the need for alternative solutions before ending the program, as pulling VASP could leave veterans more vulnerable. They argue, “Until better policy solutions are in place that provide for stronger underwriting, ending the VASP program abruptly will only harm veterans and their families.”

The letter was signed by 22 Congressional Democrats and Independents, including Senators Blumenthal, Warren, Ruben Gallego, Mazie Hirono, Angus King, Jack Reed, Tammy Duckworth, Andy Kim, and Lisa Blunt Rochester.

The lawmakers concluded by urging Secretary Collins to honor the VA's commitment to veterans: “Congress, VA, and other stakeholders must work together and offer practical, cost-effective solutions that better serve veterans. Our veterans earned their home loan guarantee benefit, and they deserve a viable option to get back on track with payments and keep their homes.”

The full text of the letter includes a direct appeal to Secretary Collins to align VA actions with stated commitments to support veterans' housing stability.