Noteboom The Law Firm

Homeless Texas Veterans Given Help

June 29, 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has teamed up with the Harlingen, Texas Housing Authority. Their corroboration has developed a program to help house those homeless veterans living in the Harlingen Valley and bringing Harlingen Valley in-line with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's vision to erase homelessness among veterans.

Pete Bustamante works in the VA office in Harlingen and serves as the local homelessness coordinator. According to Bustamante, there are at least 30 local veterans who may be eligible for this program. This is not taking into account all the veterans living in the valley with whom he has not yet met. 

Blas Cantu serves as the Executive Director for the Harlingen Housing Authority (HHA). According to Cantu, the program will grant 25 families housing. While only veterans can qualify for the program, both the veteran and his family will receive housing. While the two groups are still finalizing the details, they are accepting applications. To qualify, veterans must:

• Be eligible to receive VA health benefits;
• Be registered with the Veterans Affairs Office;
• Suffer from a physical or mental disability.

 If a veteran meets all the above listed initial criteria, they are referred to the HHA, who will then conduct their own screening. The HHA's screening process looks into veterans' income eligibility and criminal background.

Upon approval, the HHA qualifies the veteran for an apartment, which is appropriate for the size of the veteran's family. The veteran is able to choose what part of the city he or she wants to reside as long as there is housing within the HHA's given range.

This program will only support 25 families, but that is 25 families that did not have housing prior to this program's inception. It is hoped that once this program is shown to be successful, other programs with different sponsors will follow suit and help to house other homeless veterans and their families.