Homeless Vets - they fought for us and now we need to fight for them

Many Veterans face life challenges that may lead them to lose their home and become homeless.

In partnership with the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) works to provide comprehensive services to veterans living in the City of New York. The agencies jointly created the Veteran Service Unit (VSU), a centralized access point for veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The VSU links veterans to services and resources, including housing services; medical care; and City, State, and federal entitlements, such as pension benefits and public assistance entitlements. Additionally, eligible veterans can apply for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, which pairs rental assistance vouchers with VA case management for veterans, helping them to live successfully in their own apartments.

DHS remains committed to working with MOVA and the VA to further synchronize efforts on the local and federal levels, reinforce partnerships, identify gaps in services, and, most important, share challenges in meeting the needs of homeless veterans as our City and our nation plan for the future.

At the end of December 2015, the federal government announced an end to chronic veteran homelessness in New York City, following a two-year effort by Mayor de Blasio to help veterans who have been homeless for a year or longer find a home. To support this effort, the incentives described below are currently available to landlords, brokers, and supportive housing providers.

• 15% Broker Bonus (15% of the annual rent) for brokers who connect homeless veterans with LINC apartments or units that can be subsidized using HUD VASH, HPD Section 8, and MRT vouchers.

• $1,000 Landlord Incentive for every apartment and commercial SRO with a one-year lease signed by a homeless veteran.

• $500 Room Rental Incentive to landlords renting rooms through the LINC program for every one-year lease signed by a homeless veteran.

• $1,000 Bonus to Supportive Housing (SH) Providers for each community unit rented to a veteran with a HUD VASH, HPD Section 8, or MRT voucher.

• $2,000 Bonus to Supportive Housing Providers for each community unit rented to a veteran with a LINC voucher.

• Access to a Rental Guarantee Fund of up to $3,000 per year for landlords who house veterans, to cover potential damage to the apartment, as well as to assist with the payment of rental arrears, if needed.

For more information visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/dhs/outreach/veterans.page