Posted on Aug 4, 2015
Functional Zero: Housing Homeless Veterans ... Have you heard of this?
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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
http://www.npr.org/2015/08/04/427419718/the-u-s-declared-war-on-veteran-homelessness-and-it-actually-could-win
Posted in these groups: 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Homeless
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Homeless
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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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?
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SGT Carl Watson
I am very sorry to hear this about LA, CA as the program sounded good. The VA in Memphis first in 2018 sent me upstairs in the VAMC to speak with someone. When the employee returned from lunch, he told me to go blocks away on another street almost downtown. Fortunately I had a vehicle. After waiting some time one representative showed me homeless shelter listings then he printed some listing of two churches and several homeless shelters.
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The homeless veterans should win. It is criminal we have heros living on the street!
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Suspended Profile
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
UNTIL THEY ALL COME HOME
SSG Ricardo Marcial
I can tell you from experience, as i'm currently in a homeless veteran transition home that in Chicago it's horrible. Places like Safe Haven and Pacific Gardens are the worst place a veteran can go to. 60 day max stay and the organizations that are supposed to go these places to assist veterans show up late, leave early or just don't show up.
Take "Not so" Safe Haven, 2 dedicated wings for veterans, male and females. Mixed with a convict population waiting for trial or some other legal issue. Single mothers with their children as well. Now picture the dining facility, single moms with their children, ages range from newborn to 12 yrs old. Some watching over their own, others could care less. Now about the same time the families are eating, they bring in the 50-70 convicts, those that have been in the system before do what they want, the rest are a cluster with no regard for the families. Safe Haven staff a mix of ex-cons and who knows from where they got the rest. Now add the veterans, who's staff may or may not put there time in to get anything done for the veteran. Food is recycled on a daily bases. Bed space for the veterans are maintained full, 70 male 70 female. If any bed is empty, the agency still their money for the bed space and meals.
Now take the 60 day stay, take weekends and holidays out, that's 42 days you have to get either transitional housing, if you find a job they may assist you with first months rent and security deposit. Now on Thursdays, that is the designated day for resource groups to come help you as part of the 25 Cities program to end veteran homelessness. Well if they show up, it s plus, it you have all your documentation that's a plus. if you don't well your 60 days will end, they may give you and extension or they may kick you out.
i could go on about this place but I think I painted the picture for all to see. The idea is great, the process is lacking over site in some places and like any other federal program it is being abused. I spent 2 weeks in that hell hole. Those that remain the whole 60 days, well they need a prayer and some real help.
Take "Not so" Safe Haven, 2 dedicated wings for veterans, male and females. Mixed with a convict population waiting for trial or some other legal issue. Single mothers with their children as well. Now picture the dining facility, single moms with their children, ages range from newborn to 12 yrs old. Some watching over their own, others could care less. Now about the same time the families are eating, they bring in the 50-70 convicts, those that have been in the system before do what they want, the rest are a cluster with no regard for the families. Safe Haven staff a mix of ex-cons and who knows from where they got the rest. Now add the veterans, who's staff may or may not put there time in to get anything done for the veteran. Food is recycled on a daily bases. Bed space for the veterans are maintained full, 70 male 70 female. If any bed is empty, the agency still their money for the bed space and meals.
Now take the 60 day stay, take weekends and holidays out, that's 42 days you have to get either transitional housing, if you find a job they may assist you with first months rent and security deposit. Now on Thursdays, that is the designated day for resource groups to come help you as part of the 25 Cities program to end veteran homelessness. Well if they show up, it s plus, it you have all your documentation that's a plus. if you don't well your 60 days will end, they may give you and extension or they may kick you out.
i could go on about this place but I think I painted the picture for all to see. The idea is great, the process is lacking over site in some places and like any other federal program it is being abused. I spent 2 weeks in that hell hole. Those that remain the whole 60 days, well they need a prayer and some real help.
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Suspended Profile
SSG Ricardo Marcial I am very sorry to hear that you are having such troubles. I hope that you will find an answer soon...
SSG Ricardo Marcial
LCDR Rabbi Jason Matlow,
My situation has changed, I housing his now much better, and I finally after 3+ years I'm finally working.
This topic is very personal to me. And it burns me to see organizations abusing the system, and those that pay the price are those they are suppose to be helping.
My situation has changed, I housing his now much better, and I finally after 3+ years I'm finally working.
This topic is very personal to me. And it burns me to see organizations abusing the system, and those that pay the price are those they are suppose to be helping.
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Suspended Profile
Ricardo, I'm very glad to hear your situation has changed. I don't want you to share details publicly that you don't feel safe with, but are you getting all the help you need with everything? Please contact me off line if you need other help besides housing and job, which, thankfully, you have now...
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