Veterans

On August 28th, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) announced that the Chittenden County Continuum of Care (VT-501) has eradicated homelessness among veterans in Chittenden County.  
 
The announcement, sent to Mayor Kristine Lott of Winooski and Mayor Miro Weinberger of Burlington states: 
 
“We are confident that the infrastructure and systems you have built will ensure that any Veteran experiencing homelessness in the region will get the support they need to quickly obtain a permanent home.” 
 
Mayor Lott stated in an official press release: 
 

Five years after opening its doors to homeless veterans, Canal Street Veterans Housing is celebrating its success in moving residents to permanent housing and employment. Eighty-seven percent of all residents moved into permanent housing after leaving Canal Street and all of those who were able to work were employed.

Canal Street is a two-year transitional housing program for formerly homeless veterans.  It is the only VA housing provider in Vermont that allows families of veterans to join them in their program.  In 2015, the residents of Canal Street's 28 units included 8 children and two spouses.

The recent federal budget agreement included the survival of a program that has become a vital funding source for affordable rental housing in Vermont--the HOME Investment Partnership Program.  When proposals arose earlier last year to deeply cut the program, the National Association of Housing Finance Agencies (NCSHA) HOME Coalition tirelessly and effectively gathered evidence of the program’s impact, documented its widespread support and educated federal policy makers.

The VA Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont State Housing Authority and Vermont Council on Homelessness are committed to the national goal of ending homelessness among Veterans by 2015.  In light of new federal resources now available to support this goal, these groups are calling for your help connecting homeless Veterans with the rental assistance and housing they need to be successful.  Of high priority are Veterans who may be outdoors or staying in emergency homeless shelters and motels who may not have had recent contact with government services.  These Vermonters in need may not be aware of the benefits they are entitled to. 

Organizing your schedule for next week? Check out the list below and the Events Calendar page on VHFA's website for the latest Vermont housing events.   VCEH Monthly Meeting

President Obama recently announced new housing relief for servicemembers and veterans, including those wrongfully foreclosed upon or denied a lower interest rate on their mortgages.

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) will hold a webinar tomorrow at 3 pm on developing approaches that bring together the resources available to veterans in need of housing and life improvements. 

HUD announced last week that it will provide $153,036 to Vermont State Housing Authority to supply permanent housing and case management for more than 25 homeless veterans in Vermont.   The assistance will be provided through HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH), a program administered by HUD, VA, and local housing agencies to provide permanent housing with case management and other supportive serv

The Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness has assembled the following list of resources for Vermont's veterans. 

A program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD/VASH) helps homeless veterans, such as Joseph Tomasello, find affordable housing. Today's New York Times describes how Mr. Tomasello's life took an unexpected downturn after his service in the air force, how he found himself homeless, and about his scramble for jobs and space in New York area homeless shelters.