Eighteen homeless veterans are a step closer to having a home of their own thanks to the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program and the Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA). PCHA implemented the first of several HUD-VASH Express Rapid Housing Program briefings for a group of homeless veterans referred by the Bay Pines Medical Center.
We developed our HUD VASH Express Rapid Housing Program to help our VASH eligible, homeless veterans find permanent homes and get back on their feet quicker” said Debra Johnson, PCHA’s Executive Director. The model embraces the “Housing First” idea that vulnerable and at-risk homeless individuals and families are more responsive to interventions and social services support after they are in their own housing, rather than while living in temporary/transitional facilities or housing programs. With permanent housing, these veterans can begin to regain the self-confidence and control over their lives they lost when they became homeless.