Fewer Veterans experiencing homelessness
Fewer Veterans in southeastern Pennsylvania are experiencing homelessness this year thanks to the combined efforts of community organizations following the announcement of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) nationwide goal to house 38,000 homeless Veterans during the 2022 calendar year.
Organizations partnering with the Coatesville VA Medical Center embraced the challenge and, according to the reports ending September 30th, have already surpassed the local goal to house 219 local Veterans this year by housing 231.
A central player in Coatesville VA's effort to support homeless Veterans is the Housing and Urban Development - Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The HUD-VASH program combines rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by VA.
Supervisor of the HUD-VASH Program at Coatesville VA, Kelly Tuturice, attributes their success, in part, to the improved communications with other community organizations committed to ending homelessness. "The price of rent has been rising and affordable rental properties are difficult to find in southeast Pennsylvania. Our close connections with each of the county housing authorities has been essential to permanently housing Veterans."
Coatesville VAs partnership with Red Clay Manor, an affordable housing community designed for seniors in Kennett Square, is an example of one partnership that helped them reach their goal. Red Clay Manor joins, Coatesville's Union Court Apartments and Spring City's Whitehall Inn who together provide 62 housing units but not all partnerships are with large property managers. Many of the landlords Coatesville VA works with are individuals who have just one or two rental units.
Although Coatesville VA has met their stated goal for the year, there are more than 50 Veterans just in our HUD-VASH program waiting for permanent housing and the search for suitable, affordable housing for our nation's heroes continues.
More Veterans are waiting for rentals to become available in transitional housing provided by the Veterans Multi-Service Center and Merakey in the surrounding communities.
Coatesville VA is seeking to attract more landlords in Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties to partner with its homeless Veterans program.
There are benefits of renting to homeless Veterans:
- VA provides services to Veterans placed in permanent housing to support their housing stability. Reliable income from subsidies where a portion of the rent is automatically paid on time to landlords by a public housing authority or a VA grantee.
- Support from VA case management to connect landlords and Veterans with the help they may need.
- Making a positive impact in changing a Veteran's life.
If you are or know a landlord or property manager and want to know more about how you can change the life of a Veteran, contact Coatesville VAs Homeless Veteran Care office at 610-384-7711 then dial extension 6331.