San Diego’s Veterans Affairs Agency aims to house hundreds of homeless veterans this year amid increased scrutiny from lawmakers over its use of vouchers to supplement rent.
Local authorities recently announced a goal to house 851 people, with the majority (at least 95%) under roof.
The Veterans Administration has already increased the number of tests and referrals to San Diego County, which is one of the local governments issuing vouchers through the Veterans Supportive Housing Program, known as VASH.
“We fully embrace local efforts to achieve functional zero veteran homelessness,” Frank Pearson, director of the Veterans Affairs San Diego Health System, said in a statement.
Four members of San Diego’s congressional delegation wrote a letter to Pearson in December after a San Diego Union-Tribune article revealed that hundreds of VASH vouchers in recent years were not reaching people who needed them. I was writing.
“We must ensure that vouchers are not used,” said Democratic U.S. Reps. Scott Peters, Juan Vargas, Mike Levin and Sara Jacobs.
The director immediately responded with a letter.
Of the 336 vouchers that are not fully utilized, 94 have been given to veterans looking for housing, and 32 more are awaiting final approval, Pearson wrote. The Veterans Administration has helped more than 100 people apply for rental assistance through the county since October.
The director said on January 19 that 167 vouchers were still available.
County officials are asking the federal government to send more people to the county, and publicly available data shows improvement.
From late 2022 through most of last year, the San Diego Department of Veterans Affairs averaged only about 13 referrals per month.
But since August, there have been more than 30 cases at any given time, according to county spokesman Tim McClain. Two dozen arrived in the first half of March alone.
Pearson’s letter said a contract with the nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless expanded its reach and the VA worked with local governments to update the voucher process.
This includes adjustments to payment rules to make it easier for veterans to rent “slightly more expensive housing,” and applicants who don’t have a Social Security card to instead have a military record, such as an active duty discharge certificate known as a DD-214. It included being able to use. Health benefits application form known as 10-10EZ.
It took a veteran with a voucher an average of 89 days to lock up a home in the county, the director wrote. The wait time was similar in the city of San Diego, at 84 days.
“We continue to have concerns about our safe and affordable housing stock,” Pearson said.
Vouchers may also be issued in this area by the Oceanside and Imperial Valley Housing Authority, but requirements may vary by location. VA hopes to eventually have a universal application that can be used anywhere.
A spokesperson for Rep. Peters said in an email that the congressman became optimistic after reading the Veterans Affairs Secretary’s response.
“Homelessness is a housing problem, and we need to encourage housing that makes it easier to access the services and supports that formerly homeless veterans often need,” Kelly Davis wrote.
As of early March, the county had helped more than 700 formerly homeless veterans pay rent, McClain said. About 110 people were looking for units with vouchers.
Anyone currently on the street or at risk of losing a place to stay should contact the National Homeless Veterans Call Center at (877) 424-3838.
