Advocates at Senate regional budget hearing urge more funding for vouchers and SRAP to curb homelessness

Steve Grammer, a disability advocate from Roanoke, told senators the Housing Choice Voucher program is failing some recipients because subsidy limits no longer match local rents. "The voucher subsidy limit is only $954," Grammer said, and he urged the committee to raise funding so vouchers cover fair-market rents he estimated at about $1,100 for a one‑bedroom unit.

Joey Warren of the Integrated Housing Advisory Committee, who provides supported living services with Wall Residences, described rising homelessness among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and said the State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) "is out of funding as of 2026." Warren asked for $10 million paid over two years to maintain current SRAP supports and to help adjust for rent increases that have concentrated pressure on scarce housing resources.

Both speakers tied service shortfalls to workforce and market pressures. Grammer said local rents in Roanoke had grown "at a rate of 10.5% over the past two years," and Warren described teams meeting people in shelters and in cars and said service teams are now placed on statewide waiting lists because SRAP funding has been exhausted.

Neither witness cited a pending bill vote in the hearing; their requests were directed at funding decisions within the biennial state budget. The hearing chair noted committees will include public testimony in the official record for the Senate Finance and Appropriations and House Appropriations committees to consider during budget deliberations.

Next steps: Testimony will be included in the hearing record; budget decisions will be made later in the appropriations process.