What Happened?
Washington, D.C., recently started construction on a mixed-income housing development specifically designed for homeless veterans. The project will follow the Housing First model to better address the needs of homeless veterans in the D.C. area.
Goal
Washington, D.C., is building a 124-unit apartment building to house homeless veterans in the city. The mixed-income affordable housing development will cost about $33 million to construct and offer:
- 60 units set aside permanently for homeless veterans
- 47 units for individuals making 60 percent or less of the area median income
- 17 units for making 30 percent or less of the area median income
The 14-story housing development will also include space where case managers and social workers can work with veterans onside in conjunction with the D.C. VA Medical Center, Washington City Paper reported. This center is a resource for at-risk and homeless veterans in Washington, D.C., that provides 24/7 access to professionals and facilities such as:
- Primary care clinic
- Complete kitchen
- Laundry and shower facilities
- Food pantry
- Playroom for children
Within the D.C. VA Medical Center are social service professionals available to answer hotline questions or in-person inquiries.
Housing First
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, there were 49,933 homeless veterans across the United States as of January 2014, down 33 percent from 2010 and representing a 40 percent decline in veterans on the street.
The HUD and U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness attribute the decline to practices such as the Housing First model and federal resources such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing voucher program (HUD-VASH). The HUD-VASH program has served more than 74,000 veterans since its inception in 2008.
The Housing First approach to ending homelessness focuses on creating stable, permanent housing options for a long-term solution. The model calls for providing housing quickly and efficiently to homeless persons, and then offering social services to enable residents to sustain stable housing. Critical elements to the strategy include:
- Helping people and families access and sustain permanent rental housing without time limits
- Deliver a variety of services to promote housing stability and individual well-bring on an as-need basis
- Draw up a standard lease agreement for housing rather than requiring therapy or other service compliance
By applying the Housing First model when developing housing for homeless veterans, the HUD believe more veterans will find permanent homes.
The Need
Despite the 33 percent decline in homeless veterans across the country, there is still opportunity to provide this at-risk population with resources to escape poverty. According to HUD data, the housing development in Washington, D.C., may reduce the city’s homeless veteran population of more than 400 individuals by 15 percent alone.
The federal government launched the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness that has attracted more than 210 mayors, county and state officials to join the effort to end veteran homelessness by offering programs at the local level. The federal government is providing communities with valuable resources and strategies to create housing opportunities for veterans such as:
- The Housing First approach model
- Prioritizing the most vulnerable veterans
- Coordinating outreach efforts to engage homeless veterans
- Targeting rapid rehousing interventions
- Leveraging housing and services to help veterans become eligible for housing
- Increasing early detection and access to preventive services to keep veterans housed
In addition, the federal government encourages local leaders to monitor progress toward the goal with performance metrics to identify best practices.
Keeping Heroes Off The Streets
Gov1 has followed several initiatives to aid veterans facing homelessness through housing programs and job training projects.