Did you know that over 21 million military veterans are living in the US, according to the 2009 Census. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that of those 21 million over 107,000 is homeless and living on the streets. With this number disturbingly high, a few different options have been designed for such veterans to keep them off the streets and on their feet.
- Shelters/Transitional Housing: Shelters and transitional housing serve as emergency housing to help veterans take the first steps to find a more permanent home. A wide range of non-profit organizations work across the nation to provide a place for veteran’s to live until they can get back on their feet. A list of NPOs, which are funded by the Department of Veteran Services, that provide such assistance can be found at the Department of Veteran’s Services site.
- Permanent and Subsidized Housing: In a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office, 56 percent of the 2.3 million veteran renter households struggled with home affordability - including rent costs. Permanent and Subsidized housing was created to help offset this problem and provide veteran’s of lower incomes with options to maintain affordable housing for their income level without fear of eviction. Many states have now set up programs to which veterans can apply to obtain such permanent and subsidized housing.
- Specialized Grants and Loans: This kind of aid was designed to help veterans make mortgages, living expenses and even rent more affordable to move their lives forward. Both the government and a wide range of NPOs provide various grants and loans just for veterans. To see a list of such grants and loans, and to begin the application process, go to http://www.nchv.org/page.cfm?id=237.
For more information on the other services and many organizations available to help veterans with anything from housing assistance to job training to healthcare, go to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Also, if you would like to make a donation or volunteer as thanks to all the men and women who served out there, check out the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. Happy Veteran’s Day!
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