Functional Zero: Housing Homeless Veterans ... Have you heard of this?

2015-08-04T19:41:30-04:00

I've been listening to this series on NPR about the VA's attempt to get vets off the streets and into housing. Based on the reports, it seems to be a program that is working. They're calling it a declaration of war on veteran homelessness. What do you think? Please listen to / read the report at this link. It sounds promising to me.

http://www.npr.org/2015/08/04/427419718/the-u-s-declared-war-on-veteran-homelessness-and-it-actually-could-win

The U.S. Declared War On Veteran Homelessness — And It Actually Could Win

In 2009, then-Veterans Affairs head Eric Shinseki declared that all homeless veterans would have housing by 2015. New Orleans has made big strides, but in Los Angeles, the problem persists.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 4 at 2015 7:54 PM

2015-08-04T19:54:02-04:00

It's wonderful that VA in NOLA has accomplished this. I wish it were true for every VAMC in the country. ONE homeless vet is too many...

UNTIL THEY ALL COME HOME

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 4 at 2015 8:10 PM

2015-08-04T20:10:46-04:00

Yes Heard something about it the last few days on NPR. I would like to hear more but it sounds wonderful.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 5 at 2015 8:07 AM

2015-08-05T08:07:12-04:00

No vet should ever be homeless.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Aug 5 at 2015 9:36 AM

2015-08-05T09:36:51-04:00

With so many abandoned houses in communities all over the US which have become eye sores, it is inexcusable that an individual who has served this nation now lives on the street. Veteran Homelessness is akin to Veteran Suicide in that One is too high a number. The goal should be zero. I had a post on another thread about that. Allowing veterans to move into run down abandoned areas, renovate, rebuild, and get the problem fixed.

Response by 1SG Joseph Yorski, MHS made Aug 5 at 2015 10:17 AM

2015-08-05T10:17:13-04:00

Gotta tell you, from 20 years city policing experience, there are more than a few homeless that WANT to be homeless. They do not want to conform to norms that's old get them into shelters and off the street, for a start. I don't believe you can ever get to zero, but the VA is doing a good job, in my state anyway, of getting every Vet who wants off the street into transitional housing at the very least.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Aug 5 at 2015 10:42 AM

2015-08-05T10:42:48-04:00

We should be careful about declaring war on things. We have a pretty poor track record of success. The war on poverty, the war on drugs, the war on terror etc.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 6 at 2015 3:45 AM

2015-08-06T03:45:09-04:00

Hopefully every VAMC around the country will start similar programs.
Here in Tucson there is a not-for-profit called Esperanza En Escalante that does the same thing. I am associated with them through my membership in Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and I love seeing the difference they make in the lives of veterans and their families.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 6 at 2015 12:38 PM

2015-08-06T12:38:56-04:00

If they don't approach this differently than they have with other projects there will be no winning. I wil pray and hope for this programs success.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 6 at 2015 12:40 PM

2015-08-06T12:40:43-04:00

The homeless veterans should win. It is criminal we have heros living on the street!

Response by CSM Jennifer Dehorty made Aug 6 at 2015 12:46 PM

2015-08-06T12:46:17-04:00

SGT Jeff Daley, you may have answered your own question (with a question), do some of these vets what help? Prior to working at the VA, I sent a brief 'tour' as a case manager with Goodwill NM who oversees the Homeless Veteran Housing 'grant' program here in ABQ. Half of my group was chronic homeless and could not make the transition. They didn't want to. Yes, the cold months, they did want shelter, but all of the responsibility with rent, bills, and yes, employment wasn't what they wanted.

I think we really need to examine the root cause of the homelessness; is it a lifestyle or is it an untreated mental illness condition. That's where I would start.

Thanks for the topic, more conversation needs to occur on this topic.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Aug 6 at 2015 1:00 PM

2015-08-06T13:00:08-04:00

The War on Drugs, The War on Poverty, The War on Terrorism, The War on Veteran Homelessness... what do these have in common? They're all failures. What else do they have in common? They're all managed in the District of Calamity. One more time, what else do they have in common? They're all political ploys to buy votes through pork barrel spending. Once upon a time there were effective programs. For example, Los Angeles had a model program for sheltering homeless veterans, a model community on the west side of the city, complete with housing, medical care, theaters, and all the other things that one might equate with civilized shelter. It was established and funded locally. What happened to it? It was turned over to the VA. What happened then? Just what you might expect: The veterans were cast out on the streets, the shelter destroyed, the land appropriated and rented out (with the income disappearing, unaccounted for). Is there a lesson in this? What do you think?

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Aug 6 at 2015 1:39 PM

2015-08-06T13:39:01-04:00

Seeing as you can't force something as coveted as a home on someone who doesn't want it, I think most places are doing pretty good, despite this" in decreasing the number of, and providing medical and other needs for the homeless veterans located in its cities. We're doing pretty good here in AZ, and community involvement is also noteworthy, but there are still quite a few out there we need to reach, as well as those who just don't want the help...

Response by SFC Douglas Duckett made Aug 6 at 2015 3:27 PM

2015-08-06T15:27:10-04:00

I wish they would not "declare war" on the Homeless Veteran Issue. The war on drugs, failed. The war on poverty, failed. the war on segregation, a farce. The war on racism, failing. It seems every time war is declared on social issue, it fails or is doomed to fail. Maybe we should declare it "The Fight" or "The Conflict" or something other than "The War". Simple semantics might make a difference, it seems to with politicians.
http://www.soc.iastate.edu/sapp/soc235ch03.html

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 6 at 2015 4:20 PM

2015-08-06T16:20:26-04:00

It takes a village to take care of the homeless vets. People who give a damn and know who to contact. Sometimes getting the right number is the difficult part. There are two major programs: HUD program, and a in treatment center for mental illness and chemical dependency. A person can contact 1-877-4AID-VET which is the National Number and the information will be farmed out to local institutions for the Veteran.

Response by SGT Carl Watson made Jun 17 at 2020 6:45 PM

2020-06-17T18:45:20-04:00

Unfortunately I just read that LA, CA has an increase in the number of homelessness because of the virus and possibly many Californians loosing their jobs and not being able to pay rent forcing them into homelessness. Long Beach, CA I heard does not want to help the homeless veterans or any homeless individual. I really do hope that the VA assist the increase in number of homelessness as I heard it did up to last year.