Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Using Housing-First Model to Help Chronically Homeless Veterans

January 14, 2011 - A new initiative is taking shape in California and if it is successful, could very well end up being used across the country. Those associated with the movement call it "Vets to Home Project 60." The "60" in the title refers to the 60 most chronically homeless and exposed veterans on the Westside of Los Angeles. These are the people the initiative is focusing on helping.

This program will issue VA housing vouchers to these 60 homeless veterans and get them indoors. These 60 were chosen because they are so far gone, they are considered "beyond the veterans' agency's reach."

The Vets to Home Project 60 brings together an alliance of multiple agencies who share a common goal, yet have never collaborated on a homeless initiative.

The agencies involved in the Vets to Home Project 60 include:

• Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) homeless service providers;
• The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health;
• Santa Monica-based OPCC; and
• Other non-profit organizations.

The goal is to get the 60 veterans into permanent housing within 2 years. For now, however, these veterans will be placed into the VA's section 8 housing. This is a departure from the VA's standard method of operations when providing assistance to homeless veterans. This program has the VA housing the veterans first and then providing services. The VA has never housed chronic homeless veterans in this manner, it usually requires the homeless veterans to be sober and in treatment before being given a housing voucher.

This program demonstrates the VA's capability of being flexible in helping veterans. It also shows many agencies can successfully work together for a single goal. Those people being helped have the absolute least interaction with the VA and probably need the most assistance.