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Jun 17, 2011, 04:29 PM
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Member Since: Feb 2007
Posts: 758
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Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
VA to Expand Housing for Homeless Veterans and Their Families
June 8, 2011
VA to Expand Housing for Homeless Veterans and Their Families
Unused & Underused VA Buildings to Be Developed
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to develop housing opportunities for homeless and at-risk Veterans by adding 34 VA locations across the country. This strategy will increase the Department’s available beds by over 5,000. VA currently has 15,000 transitional beds available to homeless Veterans.
“This initiative will significantly support our efforts to eliminate Veteran homelessness and improve quality of life for Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We have a moral obligation to ensure that Veterans and their families have access to affordable housing and medical services that will help them get back on their feet.”
Culminating two years of work to end homelessness among Veterans, a recent strategic study, the Building Utilization Review and Repurposing (BURR) initiative, identified unused and underused buildings at existing VA property with the potential to develop new housing opportunities for homeless or at-risk Veterans and their families through public-private partnerships and VA’s enhanced-use lease (EUL) program. Under the EUL program, VA retains ownership of the land and can determine and control its reuse.
Additional opportunities identified through BURR will include housing for returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and their families, assisted living for elderly Veterans and continuum of living residential communities.
The project will support VA’s goal of ending Veteran homelessness by providing safe, affordable, cost effective, and sustainable housing for Veterans on a priority basis.
To expedite the project, contractors will be asked to develop multiple sites in a region. VA will hold a one-day national Industry Forum in Chicago for interested organizations on July 13, 2011. For information regarding the forum mail to: VA_BURR@va.gov.
Supportive housing projects are planned for homeless Veterans and their families at 23 VA sites: Tuskegee, Ala.; Long Beach and Menlo Park, Calif.; Bay Pines, Fla.; Dublin, Ga.; Hines and North Chicago, Ill.; Danville and Fort Wayne, Ind.; Leavenworth, Kan.; Perry Point, Md.; Bedford, Brockton and Northampton, Mass.; Battle Creek, Mich.; Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minn.; Fort Harrison, Mont.; Castle Point, N.Y.; Chillicothe and Dayton, Ohio; and Spokane and Vancouver, Wash.
Under the enhanced-use lease agreements, Veterans will receive senior and non-senior independent living and assisted living at eleven VA sites: Newington, Conn.; Augusta, Ga.; Marion, Ill.; Topeka, Kan.; Togus, Maine; Grand Island, Neb.; Big Springs and Kerrville, Texas; Salem, Va.; Martinsburg, W.Va.; and Cheyenne, Wyo.
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Here is some info I hope will be useful to you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NuckingFutz
Been in a similiar situation. I'm also a veteran and I have been homeless before. Like you I had my meds. I also have PTSD and my trigger as I have recently found out is my family. I am staying with my family and feel like bolting constantly which would put me right about where you are right now. Thank the lord for benzos.
I put a step forward and then get shoved 4 steps back it feels like. But I take it moment by moment. Almost instigated an argument because of this. They said they would do stuff that they haven't done and told me to wait on... this would have put me in my own place by now simply because my family is stupid and doesn't listen. So much for my support system.
I just wanted to let you know people are going through what you are right now. I'm glad you and I have this place for support because without it... well, there's those guys... and those are the guys I was running from.
Take it second by second if you have too.
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