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The challenge of how to fund the Veterans Housing needs.

In 2012, Massachusetts was home to 1,200 chronically homeless individuals, who were among the highest utilizes of expensive emergency services such as shelter, hospital, and jail beds. In 2018 we are up to almost 2641 with almost a thousand of them being Veterans.

A comprehensive and strategic plan needs to be set forth for implementation and funding and to approach this is a sustainable way that it will pay for itself over time and not draw on resources.

Homeless shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing with services

The Department of Veterans’ Services provides some funding to select non-profit organizations which provide housing services to eligible veterans. Housing services range from emergency homeless shelters, group residences, to single occupancy (SRO) quarters. All require that residents maintain a sober and drug-free environment. Services are available to both male and female veterans.

HUD-VASH Vouchers

Total Number of HUD-VASH Vouchers by PHA 2008-2020 (PDF)

Overview

The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA provides these services for participating Veterans at VA medical centers (VAMCs), community-based outreach clinics (CBOCs), through VA contractors, or through other VA designated entit

Flags are hoisted at the street corner encampment of homeless veteran Kendrick Bailey on November 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California, one of the nation’s largest homeless populations which saw a 57 percent increase in the number of homeless vets living on Los Angeles streets from last year.
Bailey, who says he served in Vietnam, said he has been living on the streets since at least as long as Obama became president. Veterans Day, an official United States public holiday, is observed annually on November 11th. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERIC J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)ies.

 

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