This year, Congressman , Mike Thompson, D-Yolo, co-sponsored The Close Veteran Homelessness Act of 2024, which seeks to address investigation bottlenecks and increase the registration for the , HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing , system.
More soldiers who are homeless or are in danger of it would have access to permanent accommodation thanks to the plan.
According to the California Veterans Data Central, an estimated 10, 395 of , California ‘s , approximately 1.5 million soldiers are poor.
The 2023 point-in-time count found that over 180, 000 Californians were experiencing poverty. That means that almost 6 % of the country’s homeless people are soldiers.
In 2022, a , Yolo County , point-in-time study identified 746 folks experiencing poverty. Nevertheless, the state did not collect information on former status.
” Our city, like many of , California, is experiencing a significant housing crisis”, Thompson said. Veterans are disproportionately more likely than other soldiers to experience homelessness and uncertainty. Almost one-third of all poor soldiers live in , California. We have an obligation to ensure our soldiers, who have sacrificed so much for our state, have roof over their eyes”.
The work did:
* Close the gap between the almost 30, 000 existing, unoccupied HUD-VASH tickets and the poor soldiers still in need of cover.
Expand HUD-VASH registration and the permanent housing and supportive services it offers to hundreds of soldiers and their households who are experiencing or are at risk of poverty and are now ineligible for the system.
* Increase performance and enhance resource management at HUD-VASH by allowing full voucher use and ensuring veterans receiving case management are provided with it.
* Free up HCV vouchers or other subsidies for non-veterans in need who currently receive housing assistance through other federal programs, such as the Housing Choice Voucher ( HCV ) program.
* Give veterans who have severe disabilities and veterans who are severely homeless HUD-VASH support a priority.
* Adopt flexibilities from the Emergency Housing Voucher plan to make it easier for people housing authorities to pay operational costs to make contracts for soldiers easier.
Thompson is a , Vietnam , battle veteran and co-chair of the , Military Veterans Caucus. He is a longtime advocate for veterans and just held former city rooms in the , Third District , to support local soldiers in accessing health care services, including PACT Act rewards.
The bill was introduced to the House by , California , Representatives , Mark Takano,  , Maxine Waters , and , Mike Levin , and will need 218 seats to go.
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( c ) 2024 The Daily Democrat
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