Veterans get housing assistance across the nation

8/30/2013 6:34:36 PM

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A number of community and service organizations received funds from the VA to help secure housing for veterans across the nation. 

Tacoma
The News Tribune reported Making a Difference in Community (MDC), the nonprofit of Tacoma, Wash., has received $1.8 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that it plans to use to provide housing assistance to more than 320 veterans and their families in Pierce County. In addition to rental assistance, the money will be used by MDC to provide medical care, financial planning and substance abuse treatment to help veterans move off the streets. Mark Pereboom, the director of the MDC, said it is an honor to provide services to those who served the country. 

According to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development survey conducted in 2012, the state of Washington was estimated to have 1,475 homeless veterans within its borders on any given night that year. 

"This funding is a huge help for veterans and their families who are struggling to stay in their homes or to get into permanent housing," said Sen. Patty Murray.

Adam Becker-Hafnor, spokesperson for MDC, said they have plans to hire a landlord liaison, numerous social services navigators and case managers in order to get its veterans outreach program up and running by Oct. 1 of this year.

Los Angeles
The Nation reported Federal Judge James Otero ruled the VA is illegally leasing a 400-acre parcel of land - which was originally intended to house homeless veterans - to parties that have no healthcare affiliation whatsoever. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed the suit against the VA representing the nearly 6,000 homeless veterans in Los Angeles, the highest homeless veteran population of any U.S. city. 

Mark Rosenbaum, the ACLU's chief counsel, said that Judge Otero's ruling will hopefully return the VA campus to its true mission - housing veterans.

"Those who served this nation in our time of need, now the VA is going to have to serve them in their time of need," Rosenbaum added. "Every day an appeal is pending, the VA is putting the needs of private school students and college students over our veterans."

The parcel of land was donated in 1888 to house homeless vets. For the next 80 years, that's exactly what the land was used for. The Pacific Branch soldier's home was occupied. However, recently, the VA has leased the land to Twentieth Century Fox and UCLA for non veteran-related purposes - leases that Otero is giving the VA six months to terminate. However, the VA does have the option of appealing, something the ACLU is encouraging them not to do. 

The VA claims it is renovating nearby apartment buildings using a $20 million appointed by Congress for the project. When it's completed, it will house just 65 veterans. The $1.8 million grant received by the MDC will house nearly five times more veterans at one-twentieth the cost - a point that is used to criticize the VA.

Contact The Federal Savings Bank, a veteran owned bank, to discuss low cost mortgage options and other first time home buyer programs.