More than 60 homeless veterans and their families will have a safe and affordable place to live in Escondido as a result of a nearly $512,000 per year award to the County’s Housing Authority.
“Veterans deserve a helping hand, and this grant is just one of several ways we can support those who have protected our nation,” said Supervisor Dave Roberts. “The myriad of services we can provide with this important funding will go a long way to assisting our veterans to transition back into society.”
The award is provided to the County by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. The HUD-VASH program is a collaborative effort between HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide permanent housing and case management for homeless veterans.
The County will support the Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) with rental assistance funding, designated to assist veterans at a new 64-unit complex being built by VVSD in downtown Escondido.
VVSD is an established non-profit agency dedicated to serving veterans throughout the County. The organization expects to break ground on the development in June 2015 with full occupancy to occur by December 2016.
The complex will not only provide units featuring one, two and three bedrooms but will also offer a full range of supportive services, such as budget counseling, job training and employment referrals. The complex will include a playground and park and is close to transportation, grocery, medical and retail centers.
VVSD is a valuable County partner in providing critically needed housing for this vulnerable population. The organization has served the local veteran population since 1981 placing hundreds of homeless veterans in permanent homes and jobs.
For more information, visit the websites of VVSD and County Housing and Community Development.
