On any given night roughly 16,000 veterans in California have no place to call home; they sleep in parks, under bridges, in their cars, in emergency shelters or on a friend’s couch. Now, thanks to the voters’ approval of Proposition 41 and the partnership of three state agencies, more veterans will have access to permanent, safe and affordable housing.
The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) also announced today three stakeholder meetings to be held in July around the state to help inform implementation of the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program.
“While California is home to nearly two million veterans, the largest veteran population in the nation, we also hold the distinction of having the largest homeless veteran population in the country,” Secretary of CalVet Peter J. Gravett said. “With this new program and the funding approved by the voters we can finally help these veterans finish their journey home.”
The Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program, created when Governor Brown signed AB 639 by Assembly Speaker Emeritus John Perez in 2013, is already in the development stages and the passage of Proposition 41 will provide the funding to begin helping homeless veterans in California.
The ballot measure, overwhelmingly approved by voters on June 3, authorizes the issuance of $600 million in general obligation bonds to fund the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of multifamily, low-income, permanent and supportive housing for homeless and low?income veterans and their families.
CalVet, the HCD, and the CalHFA, are already working to identify the range of needs, and most importantly, potential solutions that will help make a difference in the lives of homeless veterans and significantly improve the housing options for these men and women in California. Stakeholder meetings have been scheduled across the state to gather input on targeting services and identifying where the demand is greatest for the Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention Program.
Stakeholder meetings will take place July 10, 14 and 16 in Oakland, Riverside and Sacramento but will affect the entire state.
“A stable, safe, affordable sense of place is the best possible way to tell our veterans ‘thank you for your service,’” Executive Director of CalHFA Claudia Cappio said. “We look forward to collaborating with veterans, stakeholders and other state agencies to bring this valuable program to fruition.”
As program details are developed, information will be continuously updated on a special page of the HCD website, www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/vets/ and on the CalVet website (www.CalVet.ca.gov). More information can also be obtained by emailing PAO@calvet.ca.gov or hcdvets@hcd.ca.gov.
The program is administered by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the California Housing Finance Agency and is dedicated to the preservation and expansion of safe and affordable housing so more California Veterans and their families have a place to call home. The team works to ensure an adequate supply of housing options are available for our veterans and promotes the growth of strong communities. For more information, persons interested can visit: http://www.hcd.ca.gov/fa/vets/.