HUD Mississippi Team Supports Annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down

The HUD Mississippi team joined the GV (Sonny) Montgomery VA Hospital Stand Down event to assist homeless veterans find and secure a place to call home. Craig Wood, HUD's Public Housing Specialist with Martha Powers, veteran, VASH voucher recipient.

Every year the Jackson community comes together to assist homeless veterans by providing information, resources and programs available to help them find and secure a place to call home. This year the activity took place on August 23. The HUD Mississippi team joined the GV (Sonny) Montgomery VA Hospital Stand Down along with Mississippi United to End Homelessness (MUTEH), Balance of the State Continuum of Care; Mississippi WIN Job Centers; Mississippi Department of Vital Statistics; and various nonprofits ready to assist the veterans.

Veteran Martha Powers became homeless almost three years ago; this year she shared her experience to inspire other homeless veterans who may be in the same situation that she was in to follow her steps. Powers went from a proud homeowner to homelessness after facing consecutive storms that made her house unlivable. The roof covering the back part of her house collapsed during a hailstorm; she closed off that portion of the house and lived in the front while trying to repair it. A second storm destroyed the front. Unable to pay her mortgage and make repairs at the same time, she lost her home and had to move to a homeless shelter.

Matt's House, a homeless shelter for women and children, operated by Stewpot Community Services, was her refuge. She then sought assistance from the VA and learned about the VASH program.

The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VA provides these services for participating Veterans at VA medical centers (VAMCs) and community-based outreach clinics.

As part of their Bridge Program (www.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/GPD/BridgeHousingandProgramCoEnrollment.PDF), Powers moved into an apartment at the Camp Shelby Army Base in Hattiesburg, MS (https://militarybases.com/mississippi/camp-shelby/) until her permanent apartment was ready in Jackson. A program participant for 2 ½ years, Powers says, "Without the VASH voucher, I would be homeless or living in a dilapidated house."

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