Noteboom The Law Firm

VA To Provide Over $40 Million For Homeless Veterans

October 11, 2010 - Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki is still working aggressively toward the goal he established for the VA of eliminating homelessness among veterans within 5 years. His most recent step in accomplishing that goal is distributing $41.9 million in grant money to community groups across 40 states. The end result will be 2,568 more beds for homeless veterans.

The grants and per diem are provided via the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. These payments are to be used to make transitional beds available to honorably discharged veterans who have become homeless. The beds, housing, and service centers are all provided through nonprofit local organizations. 

The grant money will be distributed under two separate groups. Almost $15 million will be used to establish beds for immediate occupancy where traditional housing already exists. The other approximately $27 million will be used to either find or renovate space for 1,352 more transitional beds.

The grants and per diem program showed incredible promise in the ability to reduce homelessness among veterans last year. The VA's "no wrong door" approach is the next strike against veteran homelessness. This program operates under the idea veterans will be able to receive help or assistance in numerous VA programs.

The more the VA works against eliminating homelessness among veterans, the larger range of services and support they will need to offer. Education, health care, and counseling are all imperative in giving veterans the position they need to avoid homelessness. The VA will begin to increase the amount of type of housing options offered to veterans. They will also begin to target those veterans "at-risk" with more aggressive support interventions as preventative measures.