Rent subsidies fall short for isle vets

April 27--Anthony Lee, a 54-year-old homeless veteran, was issued a federal rental housing subsidy in December, but the former Marine and his wife are still living at the Next Step homeless shelter in Kakaako.

More than 40 veterans, including Lee, have been in limbo because they haven't been able to use their Housing Choice vouchers, which would cover all or most of their rent, due to the lack of affordable housing in Honolulu.

"Affordable housing is a big problem," said Lee, who became homeless in April 2014 after his wife became disabled and the family's income dropped. "At one point we thought we had a unit, but it fell through. There's a lot of competition for available units. Sometimes landlords don't treat veterans fairly."

The Lees have finally found a unit that fits their budget, and if it passes inspection this week, they will be on their way to leaving homelessness behind.

Still, advocates say, as the number of homeless veterans climbs in the islands, many of them continue to be stymied by a critical lack of affordable housing.

"We've definitely got a little bit of a backlog," said Rachelle Russo, coordinator for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, known as HUD-VASH.

Since 2008, HUD-VASH has housed about 400 veterans through its Housing Choice voucher program, Russo said. However, the community needs to make more housing units available, she said.

A studio, for instance, must rent for no more than about $1,100 per month, including utilities, in order for a voucher to be used.

"It's heartbreaking for us that Veterans Affairs has helped put all these great programs together and even when the veterans have the vouchers, they still can't get a place to live," said Andy Dahlburg, manager of the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program. "These were the people who put on the uniform for us and defended our great nation. Because of that, we need to help them now."

Allen Person, a 46-year-old homeless man, said more resources are needed immediately.

Person, who says he served in the Air Force, has spent the last two years living in Aala Park with other homeless veterans.

"Most of my friends here are veterans, and I've only seen a few of them get off the street," Person said. "They need more housing. I feel like the city and state forgot us a little bit. I was taught never to leave your man behind. Isn't that what they are doing here?"

Dahlburg said the VA and HUD-VASH are working with the city, state and nonprofits to house more homeless veterans, which is a major goal of President Barack Obama.

"They've put together an impressive amount of sources," Dahlburg said. "But we all need to work together to realize the goals."

Honolulu's 2015 "Point-in-Time" survey of Oahu's homeless population in late January counted 467 homeless veterans, up more than 21 percent from 2014 and more than 52 percent from 2009. Unsheltered homeless veterans rose 30.4 percent year-over-year to 227, which was also an 84.5 percent jump from 2009.

"The local increases in veteran and chronic homelessness demonstrate the need for federal, state and local intervention," said state Homeless Coordinator Colin Kippen. "The difficulties of veteran rental housing hunters is a reoccurring issue. We need to help our heroes."

Veterans' homelessness also is a concern of Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who in January signed the national HUD Mayors Challenge pledging to end veterans' chronic homelessness by the end of this year.

The administration is working with the Homeless Veteran Task Force to build community support to provide veterans with more housing units, services and resources, said Jun Yang, executive director of the city Office of Housing.

"Through the work with VA housing staff, the city understands the housing supply constraints make it difficult to quickly rent up a tenant," he said. "We encourage the community to consider housing our veterans who have served our country and now need a place to live. We are looking for smaller studio and one-bedroom units across the isle."

According to statistics from the Homeless Management Information System, Yang said, outreach workers were preparing 84 unsheltered homeless veterans to get into emergency shelters, transitional housing or permanent supportive housing.

Lambert Lum, shelter manager at Next Step, said he's optimistic the changes will bring results, but he hasn't seen them yet.

"We're doing our part to collaborate on all aspects of ending veterans' homelessness," Lum said. "But in general, the number of veterans who need housing exceeds the available units and the number of landlords who are willing to rent. They also are competing with other Section 8 and Housing First recipients."

Meanwhile, more homeless veterans are filling shelters and sleeping in cars or on the beach or in the woods, said Bob Shank, HUD-VASH housing specialist. While HUD-VASH works with other homeless service providers to keep track of these clients and help them use their vouchers, some are falling through the cracks, he said.

"They are never truly on their own, but it's a transient population," Shank said.

Kimo Carvalho, community relations director for the Institute for Human Services, said more veterans are using IHS' shelter beds and services.

"In 2014, 118 veterans came through IHS," Carvalho said. "That's more than before and they are staying longer, too."

Carvalho said the VA funds 14 emergency shelter beds at IHS for veterans who are waiting for housing. But these clients are often at the shelter for longer than the 90-day limit set by the VA.

"It's taking way longer to house them than anticipated," Carvalho said. "Sometimes they wait so long that their vouchers expire and they lose the opportunity."

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