Good morning All Home stakeholders  –

This morning, Monday November 2, Seattle Mayor Murray and King County Executive Constantine will issue declarations that homelessness is in a state of emergency in King County, and will outline local actions, including shelter, prevention, outreach, and they will call on the State and Federal governments to do more.

This act of leadership by Mayor Murray and Executive Constantine represents a significant step toward implementing the All Home Strategic Plan. Their joint requests of the State and Federal government are action steps toward our strategies for addressing the root causes of homelessness, and support our goal of making homelessness rare. Their commitments of local resources are action steps toward our strategies for addressing the immediate crisis of homelessness, and making it brief and only a one-time occurrence.

Los Angeles, Portland, and the State of Hawaii have also recently issued declarations that homelessness is in a state of emergency.  Seattle and King County’s declarations go one step further. In addition to local action, the declarations make significant requests of the State and Federal governments. Homelessness knows no borders, and requires synergy of local, state, and federal partners. The effort to end veteran homelessness is a good example of how this can work. With new Federal resources from the Veteran’s Administration, and strong local coordination among nonprofits and government, we have made significant progress – 717 veterans have been housed, and 310 more have a voucher and are looking for housing. We now need a significant investment from the Federal government, and the State, to support all other populations.

Homelessness is in a state of emergency. Our community has rallied to provide shelter and support for others in crisis – from international refugees to local and national disaster victims – and we should also do the same for our neighbors without a permanent place to call home.

More information will be posted on the City, County, and All Home websites later this morning.

Mark

Mark Putnam

Director, All Home, formerly the Committee to End Homelessness

mark.putnam@allhomekc.org

(206) 263-9001

www.allhomekc.org

2015_4Up_General

Greetings Veteran Supporters!

The 5th annual Seattle Stand Down will be here before we know it:

December 17 & 18, 2015 at Seattle Central College

Please see the attached flyers and distribute to your clients and throughout your networks.

If you or your agency would like to sign up as a service provider, please click HERE to register!

Thank you for your support and all you do for the Veteran community!

Rebecca Murch, B.A.B.S.

Executive Director
One Less Mountain
Purpose…Direction…Community
_________________________________

Program Director

The Seattle Stand Down
Premier project of One Less Mountain

www.theseattlestanddown.org

Senate Passes Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act

NCHV works to protect eligibility of OTH veterans for services

Just now, the United States Senate passed S.1731, the “Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act” which will protect the eligibility for VA homeless services of homeless veterans with “Other Than Honorable” (OTH) discharges.

These veterans have been served through the Grant and Per Diem (GPD) and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs since these programs were created. However, recently a legal review conducted within VA called that eligibility into question.

S.1731 would clarify the intent of Congress that the GPD, SSVF, and GPD Special Needs programs be allowed to serve these OTH veterans. NCHV applauds the work of the Senate in its passage of this crucial bill, and thanks in particular the original cosponsors of the bill: Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI). They are committed and passionate advocates for the nation’s most vulnerable heroes.

This is just the first of two hurdles to ensure legal protections for these veterans: the United States House of Representatives must pass this bill before it can go to the President for his signature and become law. NCHV strongly urges the House to do so and join the Senate in protecting those most in need of our help.

For the latest news, resources and grant information, visit our website at www.nchv.org.

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

333 1/2 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-546-1969 or toll-free 1-800-VET-HELP

Governor Dan Malloy joined by VA Secretary Bob McDonald for historic announcement

Yesterday, Governor Dan Malloy announced that Connecticut has become the first state in the country to end chronic homelessness among veterans. This announcement marks another milestone in the campaign to end veteran homelessness nationwide. With towns, cities, and states coordinating efforts across the board to identify and house homeless veterans, the United States as a whole has become a truly national coalition for homeless veterans.

“We have set a high bar – and with today’s announcement, we’re on our way to achieving it. We are truly a national leader on these issues, because our veterans deserve access to housing, quality health care, education, and career opportunities. It’s our obligation to deliver for them, and that’s just what we’re doing as a state,” Governor Malloy said. “We established this bold goal to end homelessness among our veterans not because it’s good for our economy and makes communities stronger, but because it’s morally right. Ending chronic veteran homelessness is just another step forward and another marker of progress towards reaching our goal of ending all veteran homelessness by the end of this year.”

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald was on hand for Governor Malloy’s announcement, stating “President Obama has made a bold goal to end veteran homelessness by the end of this year, and states and cities across the country are committed to making sure every Veteran has a safe and stable place to call home. Here in Connecticut, you’ve responded to that challenge by helping the most vulnerable homeless veterans find permanent housing. Americans understand and believe, as I do, that no one who has fought for this country should have to fight to keep a roof over their head. This progress would not be possible without the partnerships that have been built here in Connecticut and across the nation; partnerships across the federal government, with state and local governments, with non-profit organizations and with the private sector. This is not a static challenge; it is an ongoing challenge and we will keep at it because that is what the men and women who have served our nation have earned and deserve.”

To read the full press release and view more coverage from yesterday’s historic announcement, see the latest post in Coalition Call.

http://m.kirotv.com/videos/news/video-campaign-launches-to-find-homes-for-homeless/vDYXP2/

Today is the Day!!!

The US Declared War on Veteran Homelessness and it Actually Could Win

http://www.npr.org/2015/08/04/427419718/the-u-s-declared-war-on-veteran-homelessness-and-it-actually-could-win

Veterans, Neighbors and Landlords,

Please join us Monday, August 10, 2015 at 10 a.m. for the campaign launch event of Operation: WelcomeOneHome

A Community Call to Action to end Veteran homelessness in King County by December 31, 2015.

WE NEED YOU, so please share this link with your professional and personal networks to truly make this a community event!

We have 120 seats remaining. Registration and more details at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/operationwelcomeonehome-campaign-launch-tickets-17927177671

We look forward to seeing you there!

NCHV is very pleased to announce that Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have introduced legislation that would ensure the eligibility for VA homeless services of veterans with “Other Than Honorable” discharges.

The “Homeless Veterans Services Protection Act of 2015” (S. 1731) would clarify the original intent of Congress that the Grant and Per Diem (GPD), GPD Special Needs, and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) programs serve all veterans with anything other than a Dishonorable discharge, regardless of a veteran’s VA healthcare eligibility. Furthermore, S. 1731 removes the requirement that a veteran serve in the military for two years in order to be eligible for these three VA homeless programs.

This legislation would not extend eligibility for these programs to those who received dishonorable discharges, nor to those who were discharged following courts-martial. Neither would this legislation extend any benefits (including healthcare, pensions, or any other veteran’s benefits) to these veterans, other than access to the GPD, GPD Special Needs, and SSVF programs. The bill ensures that our communities can continue to care for veterans in their time of need as we have for over 20 years.

For background on this issue, click here.

In spite of the long history of these homeless programs serving veterans with “Other Than Honorable” discharges, a recent Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General report found an uneven record of compliance with that policy. The report found that at 15 VA Medical Centers across the country, VA officials had been excluding veterans from their homeless programs based on their discharge status. At one location this process had been erroneously occurring for more than six years. To redress this failure, S. 1731 would also ensure that there is never another instance of confused policy by requiring VA-wide training on the updated VA homeless programs eligibility.

As we reach the end of the Five-Year Plan to End Veteran Homelessness, it is increasingly important that we retain the ability to serve homeless veterans with “Other Than Honorable” discharges. Those who receive them make up 15% of the homeless veteran population across the country. In some urban locales, that number can be as high as 30% of the area’s population of homeless veterans.

NCHV expresses its deepest gratitude to Senators Murray and Hirono for their work on this issue, and calls on the Senate to take up consideration of this important bill.

To view the bill, click here. To view the press release on the bill distributed by Senator Murray’s office, click here.