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Committee tables $7 million military transitional housing grant program for further vetting

Arizona House Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs and Elections · February 11, 2026

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Summary

HB2608 would create a Military Transitional Housing Grant Program under the Arizona Department of Housing with a $7 million FY2027 appropriation; the sponsor requested and the committee carried a motion to lay the bill on the table for further work with the veterans caucus.

The Arizona House committee heard testimony on HB2608 on Feb. 9, which would establish a Military Transitional Housing Grant Program at the Arizona Department of Housing and appropriate $7 million from the state general fund for fiscal year 2027.

Staff told the committee the proposal is a new program, not a transfer from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Cesar Chavez, testifying for vets.gov, said the organization assists veterans in transition and that the bill would limit uses to new construction and require veteran-led or veteran-managed entities to administer projects. "We've added into the bill that the organization must be veteran led or veteran managed," he said.

Sponsor Representative Blackman described veterans’ post-service housing and integration challenges, saying the program is intended as a “hand up” rather than a handout. Several committee members said similar language had been considered in prior sessions and expressed concern that the bill had not been vetted sufficiently by the bipartisan veterans caucus. At the sponsor’s request, the committee moved to lay HB2608 on the table to allow additional consultation; the motion carried.