In a continued push to take care of those who served their country only to fall through the cracks when they returned home, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced five cities will share $15 million in funds to build permanent housing structures for homeless veterans.
The $15 million in grants will go to five military communities located around the country, Camp Pendleton in San Diego, MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, Fort Drum in Watertown, N.Y. and Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington.
Each of these military communities will receive $2 million to combat veteran homelessness which has been on the rise since the escalation of the two Middle East wars, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
HUD also announced that the VA medical centers will also receive $1 million in grant money for other veteran needs. The Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration (VHPD) program, through HUD, can provide a “continuums of care” for needy veterans who might be living on the streets or in homeless shelters.
“The men and women who serve our nation deserve better than a life on the streets when they return home,'' said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “These grants represent a first step toward designing the best interventions possible so that we can prevent homelessness for those heroes who sacrificed so much for us.”
The grants are earmarked for military communities and will allow them to cope with the large numbers of veterans returning home from the “War on Terror.” The hope with this new program is to keep veterans from succumbing to homelessness as well as provide counseling, health care and employment assistance.
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said, "While usually the strongest and most resilient of Americans, veterans still represent a disproportionate share of America’s jobless, homeless, depressed, substance abusers and suicides. Nowhere is our obligation to our citizens, and to our veterans who have defended our nation, more important, more visible, or more necessary than in our commitment to prevent and end homelessness."
"This effort is about reaching veterans and their families who are transitioning home and struggling to readjust," said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), who led the charge for the VHPD program in fiscal year 2009 Housing Appropriations bill. "By providing access to stable housing, health care, and job training and outreach services, this program provides targeted support to our heroes who are returning home to a difficult economic climate. All veterans deserve housing and the dignity that comes with it, and this is another step to reach those who have sacrificed so much."
This multi-pronged effort will provide housing, health care and employment services through the U.S. Department of Labor, and the VHPD will explore innovative early interventions to avert veteran homelessness, especially service members returning from the warzone.
HUD said it will take about 90 days to identify and serve veterans and/or families who may qualify for assistance under the new VHPD program.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Comments
how do you still have the audacity to actually continue posting articles online knowing that you have no integrity?
We have millions of homeless/unemployed Veterans and Americans. Such would not be the case if our Federal Government and DHS >> ENFORCED our IMMIGRATION LAWS. What is needed is E-Verify for all jobs and government programs and 287g Nationwide. It's called attrition thru Enforcement.
I know many veterans. Some, after terms of service, went on to great success. Others were marginal performers while in service and are likely out of work and homeless due to continued marginal performance in civilian life.
There is another number who, due to combat stresses or wounds, have psychological and physical injuries. They are where our energies should be spent in assistance. The government should not give any veteran a "hand out" nor (I suspect) do those injured veterans want a one. But, all of them have earned, and we definitely owe them, a "hand up".
The current administration is so concerned with their Social Agenda that when it comes to assistance they see no distinction between veterans and the general population. They seem intent on targeting assistance to where it will draw the most votes, not where it has been earned by service. Obama's proposal to have veterans buy their own health insurance to pay for are of combat wounds, is one indicator of this age
don't believe a word you say.
You're not even linking!! You're pathetic.
Not one veteran will be prevented from homelessness; these programs are all PRISON-LIKE & REQUIRE MANDATORY 12-Step Religious Cult "ABSOLUTE SOBRIETY" that it FORCES veterans to choose the streets than be treated like crap!
Are you lying again?
Well said "August". That's the info the government doesn't want the public to know but it's the truth.
"All veterans deserve housing and the dignity that comes with it"..
This program does not serve "All veteran" desperately in need of housing, ONLY "ELIGIBLE VETERANS" meaning the veterans are willing (tricked into) to be labeled Seriously Mentally Ill & Addicted/Alcoholic FOR LIFE in their medical records, mandated to go through the VA's Substance Abuse Treatment Program (even if do not have a drinking/drug problem....YOU DO NOW!), prescribed handfuls of meds that are not even allowed to be used on Lab Rats, and mandated to attend never-ending "How do you feel?" group therapy nonsense. Any disagreeing with the program is considered a Program Failure resulting in the veterans being thrown to the street curb. Since the qualifying issues for this program are addiction & mentally illness the veterans are now DISQUALIFIED FROM THOUSANDS OF JOBS & HOUSING; who wants to employ/rent to a person as messed up with those issues?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!