Continued Homelessness Among U.S. Veterans Ends in Connecticut

Government officials in Connecticut announced that they have ended the chronic homelessness among the U.S. veterans in their state. The announcement, which was made last Thursday by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy stated that Connecticut became the first state to provide housing for veterans. It was a milestone for the state and national officials as they have marked the end of 2015 as their goal to end this chronic homelessness among these people who have fought for the nation.

Joint effort

The project was jointly ran by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH), the Connecticut Department of Housing and various volunteers and nonprofits. The hard-working volunteers did the majority of the legwork as they scoured the streets to identify these veterans who are homeless at that time.

With this program, all chronically homeless veterans who have been identified are either on their way to permanent housing or are already provided a house. Any veteran who is on the verge of or is entering homelessness would be immediately led to a permanent home, according to CCEH executive director, Lisa Tepper Bates. In their February 2015 survey, they found out that there were 4,038 homeless persons living in areas not intended for housing or in the streets of Connecticut.

An individual is defined as chronically homeless if he suffers from a disabling condition that makes him homeless continuously for a year or have went through homelessness for at last four times within three years.

Federal support

There had been a great increase in federal funding for permanent housing and additional funding was made available so that rapid housing for veterans could be provided. These federal funds became the most important resource that led to the realization of the goals of the state of Connecticut. Likewise, Connecticut’s Department of Housing poured in about $3 million in special services and rental subsidies to the homeless veterans living in the state. Robert McDonald, the U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary stressed this fact during Thursday’s ceremony at the housing complex for veterans. The VA secretary also requested other states to do likewise, and added that the federal government could not solve the increasing homelessness problem on its own, and needs the support of each state, nonprofits and other groups, as well as the willing volunteers.

Governor Malloy now sets the end of 2016 as their target to provide support services and housing to all the homeless people in his state.

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