WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 20, 2018) - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that the New Mexico Affordable Housing Charitable Trust has won a $1 million competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help disabled veterans modify their homes to help them live independently.

In partnership with the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority, the Trust will use this funding to rehabilitate or modify an estimated 90 primary residences for eligible veterans statewide.  

"Veterans and their families have sacrificed much to defend our safety and our freedoms - yet when they return home, many face daunting challenges," said Udall. "We owe a solemn debt to these men and women who have given so much in service to our country. This grant will help New Mexico better meet the needs of veterans living with disabilities by modifying their homes to reduce barriers, increase mobility and improve accessibility. We must continue to honor veterans' sacrifice by improving access to the services they have earned, including safe and quality housing." 

"We must do all we can to ensure New Mexico's veterans and their families receive the services and care they earned," said Heinrich. "I'm proud to support local organizations across New Mexico that are at the forefront of efforts to ensure every veteran who has served our nation has a safe and stable place to call home. I will also continue fighting for resources that connect veterans experiencing homelessness with emergency shelter, lifesaving services, and pathways toward permanent housing. We must be unwavering in our commitment to our men and women in uniform who deserve more than just words of gratitude for their sacrifice when they return home."

Funding from HUD's Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Program allows veterans to make physical modifications to their homes-such as wheelchair ramps, reconfigured bathrooms, and new bedrooms for caretakers. Rehabilitating residences and ensuring safety is essential to meeting the adaptive housing needs of veterans.