NY City to Invest Over $9 Million In Housing for Homeless Veterans

NY 1

April 16, 2008 – The Bloomberg administration says it will invest $9.4 million of federal funding on its way to the city in fighting homelessness among veterans.

The money will be used to house more than 1,000 homeless veterans.

The city also says it plans to open a center in Brooklyn where veterans will be able to access a variety of services from medical benefits to short term housing.

“Providing a place to sleep is the least we can do for those who have served our country. But our hope is that once homeless veterans start using the safe haven, they will become more willing to accept help in other areas,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “This approach has already worked for many formerly homeless New Yorkers who have come into our general safe havens.”

“I just cannot express how much it has meant to me to have the security of having my own apartment, my own home, my base, which allows me to extend, to expand my horizons,” said veteran Charles Witherspoon. “It’s been a true renaissance. My renaissance.”

The U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development teamed up with the City for the housing initiative.

A total of $75 million will go to provide permanent supportive housing for an estimated 10,000 homeless veterans across the country.

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