U.S. VETS - Los Angeles

Ending homelessness among veterans has been the goal of U.S. VETS since its inception. Housing is the key to achieving success in the most basic needs of life. Without stable housing it is nearly impossible to maintain employment, family relationships, health and connection to society. U.S. VETS-Los Angeles has been on the forefront of serving homeless veterans in Los Angeles since 1993. The site opened a new permanent housing building in December 2011 increasing the number of affordable housing veteran beds available at the site to 660. Although the numbers have dropped significantly in the past 20 years, Los Angeles still remains the number one city for homeless veterans with between 6,300-8,000 veterans living on the streets—more than any other American city. Veterans represent a disproportionally high percentage of the Los Angeles homeless population at 20%. With the Obama administration’s announcement of its goal to end veteran homelessness by 2015 there has been a deliberate shift away from transitional programs that help homeless veterans address their issues and prepare them to re-enter the workforce and regain their economic independence. The current model of Housing-First favors putting homeless veterans into permanent housing and then providing mental health and addiction treatment. Not surprisingly, the prospect of permanent housing is very appealing to homeless veterans, especially if they are told that they can continue to use drugs and not risk losing their housing. In support of the Housing-First model, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) issued VA Supported Housing (VASH) vouchers for veteran to pay for the permanent housing. The VASH program quickly ran out of vouchers and the system was overwhelmed by more applicants than available funds. Even those who were approved ended up waiting for months for a VASH case worker to process their paperwork and approve the apartment. Once housed, most veterans had little to no follow up from the overworked VASH case workers. By the VA measurements, the program is a success because veterans are off the streets and in permanent housing. However, as a program that has the benefit of observing the transitioning veterans to our adjacent building, it has become quickly apparent to U.S. VETS that many of these veterans are not equipped to maintain their housing and thus enter back into the cycle of crisis and homelessness. Housing retention is the missing piece from the VA’s push to embrace the Housing-First model. Although that model includes case management to assist veterans after the move into permanent housing, the reality is that the local VA has exhausted its allocation for staffing and funding to serve the high number of veterans in need and are encouraging veterans to seek assistance from other community agencies. Our proposed LA2050 program will provide the wrap-around case management necessary to increase veteran housing retention rates. As operators of a transitional housing program that is actively working to meet a 65% transition rate to permanent housing, U.S. VETS-Los Angeles will already have established relationships with veterans moving into community permanent housing. Additionally, the U.S. VETS-Los Angeles outreach team connects with 1800-2000 veterans annually and makes referrals for housing and other services. The Veteran Housing Retention program will employ a Housing Retention Specialist who will follow up with recently transitioned veterans via personal visits and phone calls to make sure that they are maintaining their homes, budgeting their money, paying their rent/utilities on time, managing their health/mental health issues with the VA medical center. The income assistance provided by the VASH program was a successful motivation for homeless veterans to seek permanent housing. The U.S. VETS Housing Retention program will also offer a financial incentive in the form of tenant based assistance for security deposits, utilities and emergency supplies.