National Coalition for Homeless Veterans 16th Annual NCHV Conference and Membership Meeting 2013 May 29-31 Washington, D.C.
Ending Veteran Homelessness Ralph Cooper Community & Residential Veteran Service Coordinator Cloudbreak Communities
The Homeless Experience of African American Veterans
Honorable Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Homes for Heroes Act PASSED Problems Vets face on returning home Congressman Al Green Home for Heroes Act Lack of affordable housing Access to stable health care Consistent amount of income Post-traumatic stress disorder Substance abuse
OVERALL STATISTICS. The percentage of homeless veterans has decreased Minority veterans are still overrepresented within the homeless veteran population Successful programs from the community are in place to address the needs of minority veterans
Race and Ethnicity current statistics African American veterans make up 35.1% of the homeless veteran population, compared to 18.9% of veterans in poverty, and 10.4% of all veterans Hispanic veterans comprise 5.1% of homeless veterans, 4.1% of poor veterans, and 3.4% of all veterans Non-Hispanic White veterans made up 52.1% of homeless veterans, compared to 70.3% of veterans in poverty and 81.5% of all veterans
AGE current statistics While almost half of veterans in general are age 62 and older, veterans in the 31-50 and 51-61 age groups have the greatest percentages of homeless veterans They are each almost equally represented at 41% of the homeless veteran population Veterans between 18 and 30 make up 8.8%, and veterans again 62 and older make up 8.6%
Importance of Services and Benefits These people risk their lives in a volunteer army for our freedom
African Americans have fought in every war of the US, including Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican- American War, Civil War, Spanish American War, World Wars, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other conflicts
HOUSTON IS 4 TH LARGEST CITY IN U.S.
HOUSTON IS MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN THE RACE TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR OUR VETERANS AND TO HELP BY PROVIDING BENEFITS AND SUPPORT SERVICES
HOUSTON Provides eligible Veterans with assistance in obtaining VA and other benefits to help them acquire permanent housing on a sustainable basis, which includes time-limited third party payments to landlords, utilities, moving companies, and licensed child care providers AS WELL AS Outreach Case Management Health care services Daily living services Personal financial planning Transportation services Fiduciary and payee services Legal services Child care services Housing counseling services
HOUSTON Cloudbreak Houston was a major player in housing 100 veteran homeless in 100 days
Cloudbreak Houston and HUD/VASH Partnerships Houston Housing Authority (HHA) Harris County Housing Authority Department of Veterans Affairs Enabled nearly 200 veterans to be Housed in our facilities using VASH Vouchers Supportive Services for Veteran Families helped pay for deposits and first months rents 2014 budget includes $75 million for Houston Housing and $300 million for Department of Veterans Affairs
Midtown Houston Improvements and full occupancy
November 11, 2012 Cloudbreak Communities broke ground on Travis Street Apartments, 192 permanent affordable tax-credit efficiency apartments for homeless Veterans
recently completed TRAVIS STREET PLAZA
Travis Street Apartments at Greenspoint Mall
Housing Houston s Heroes Ceremony Mayor Annise Parker and veteran Elvin Black at ceremony marking the success of Housing Houston s Heroes, a multi-agency program
Attended by Mayor Anise Parker and Houston Veterans Affairs Director Buddy Grantham
HOUSTON Homeless Database designed to improve help for more than 6400 homeless
We have been doing fantastic work in HOUSTON To quote Jerry Patterson, Texas Land Commissioner, Lt Col, USMCR (Retired), who spoke at the Houston VA Cemetery on Memorial Day 2013, God bless those who laid down their lives in the defense of liberty and the millions of American veterans we have lost through the years. And I would like to add, that there are many, many others who answered the call, served their country, and returned home alive, but found themselves homeless.
We are Getting Closer to Our 2015 Goal City of Houston registers homeless individuals and families which includes homeless Vets Database spurs fast action Tailors benefits and other services to the homeless population
Less Than 1,000 Days Until the 2015 Goal We remember 3 Important ways to accelerate progress Faster Connections to Permanent Housing Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Every Veteran Stronger Bridges to Mainstream Benefits
THANK YOU WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER