GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WE'RE
CALLING, UM, THIS HEARING OF THE
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE OF MILITARY
AND VETERAN AFFAIRS TO ORDER UM,
I FIRST WANTED TO THANK THE
EXCUSE ME THE LEADERSHIP OF
CALVIN. IT'S FOR, UM IN THE
HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION TODAY. UM AND WANT
TO WELCOME YOU TO THE 40TH
ASSEMBLY DISTRICT. I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE BRING
SACRAMENTO TO OUR COMMUNITIES
AND THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING
IN SACRAMENTO TO BENEFIT OUR
COMMUNITIES AND SO REALLY HAPPY
TO BE HOSTING. THIS COMMITTEE
HEARING HERE TO DISCUSS REALLY
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO ME TO OUR
COMMUNITY AROUND VETERAN HOUSING
AND HOMELESSNESS AND SERVICES.
UM I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
LHASA, ELLA HOMELESSNESS
SERVICES AUTHORITY, WHICH IS THE
LEADING ORGANIZATION AND AT THE
L, A CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR THEIR
PARTICIPATION AND WELCOME YOU,
AND ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR NON
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO
ARE HERE. US VETS AND HOME FOR
FAMILIES. UM, AND AFFIRMED
HOUSING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE,
UNFORTUNATELY, HAD AN ILLNESS
AND NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR WORK
AND EXPERIENCE SERVING
CALIFORNIA VETERANS. AND.
FINALLY I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE. UM WELL SHE ISN'T SHE
CAN MAKE IT EITHER, BUT I WAS
GOING THANK HER. UM IF SHE TRIED
, SHE TRIED. UNFORTUNATELY YOU
KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES ARE NOT ABLE
TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT I FELT
LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
CONTINUE. UM, AND HAVE THIS
HEARING AND HERE AND WE'LL BE
HAVING PEOPLE WATCH ONLINE. UM
AND BE ABLE TO VIEW THE HEARING
FROM OFFICES IN SACRAMENTO OR
HOME. UM, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT
WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH FOLKS AND
, UM AS FAR AS THE BEST
AVAILABLE DATA THAT WE HAVE
SHOWING HOMELESSNESS AMONG
VETERANS HAS DROPPED
CONSIDERABLY SINCE THE END OF
THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN 2008.
THERE ARE PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATIONS
FOR WHY THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE,
NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE
MONEY RESOURCES AT THE FEDERAL
AND STATE GOVERNMENT LEVEL THAT
HAS BEEN SPENT TRYING TO KEEP
VETERANS SPECIFICALLY FROM
HAVING TO LIVE ON THE STREETS.
HOWEVER WE HAVE TO BE WORRIED,
WARY OF CONCLUDING TOO QUICKLY
THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE BEARING
FRUIT, VETERAN HOMELESSNESS,
MAYBE ON THE DECLINE, BUT
HOMELESSNESS IN GENERAL IS
RISING EVERY YEAR AND ONE LINE
GOING DOWN IS LITTLE COMFORT TO
A VETERAN WHO IS JUST A WEEK
AWAY FROM EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. UM WHICH THERE'S A
VETERAN I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN
WORKING WITH. WE'VE ALL BEEN
WORKING WITH, UM, TO MAKE SURE
THEY DON'T FALL INTO
HOMELESSNESS WHEN THEIR HOUSING
VOUCHER EXPIRES TOMORROW. UM
MORE IMPORTANT TO ME IS TAKING
WHAT IMPROVEMENT WE THINK WE SEE
AND UNDERSTANDING IT WITH AN EYE
TOWARDS MULTIPLYING THAT
SUCCESS. EXPORTING THAT TO OTHER
POPULATIONS, WHERE THE PROBLEMS
STILL SEEMS TO BE INTRACTABLE
TODAY, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT
DOESN'T WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED
FROM THE NEW PROGRAMS WE'VE
CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED IN THE
LAST 10 YEARS OR SO. AND WHAT
ARE THE POINTS OF WEAKNESS? WHAT
ARE THE FUSSY COMPLICATIONS AND
THE BREAKDOWNS IN THE SYSTEM?
THE BAFFLING EXCEPTIONS OR
CONTRADICTORY ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA. WE APPLY THAT
UNDERMINE OUR OWN EFFORTS OR IF
IT'S WORKING. WHY AND HOW CAN WE
NOT ONLY DO MORE OF THAT, BUT IF
NECESSARY? UM DO IT FOR OTHER
PEOPLE AS WELL. THE FORMAT TODAY
WILL BE TWO PANELS, FIRST STATE
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PANEL AND
THE SECOND A SERVICE PROVIDER
PANEL, AND UM, AND HOUSING
BUILDER PANEL AFTER EACH PANEL.
WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR A QUESTIONS
AND ANSWER BETWEEN PANELISTS IN
THE DIOCESE AND AT THE END,
WE'LL HAVE A LONGER TIME THAT WE
WILL INVITE THE PUBLIC TO
COMMENT AND DURING PUBLIC
COMMENT, I'LL ASK FOR EACH
SPEAKER TO KEEP THE REMARKS TO
UNDER TWO MINUTES. AND WE'LL
CONCLUDE THIS HEARING WHEN
PUBLIC COMMENT ENDS. SO FOR THE
FIRST PANEL I WANT TO INTRODUCE
FROM CAL VET WE HAVE JOHN
SPANGLER, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF
LEGISLATION, AND ROBERTO HERRERA
, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF SERVICES.
UM AND WE GOT COMFY CHAIRS UP
HERE FOR YOU AND SIT IN YOUR
SPECIAL SPOT. UM AND FOR HCG,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATION
PEDRO GOLD GOLD VAIO AND DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF STATE FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE. JENNIFER SEEGER.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET A COUPLE
MORE SEATS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO
MUCH SO MANY SMART PEOPLE WITH
SO MUCH GOOD INFORMATION. WE
NEED MORE SPACE. UM AND FOR
LHASA, THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER
ALBELIN MILLER AND CHEN ESCA,
BOSA. FOR VETERANS SYSTEM
COORDINATOR. UM SO WE WELCOME
YOU AND WHILE WE'RE MAKING SURE
EVERYBODY HAS A SEAT AT THE
TABLE LIKE WE ALWAYS LIKE TO DO.
UM IF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM
CAL VET WOULD LIKE TO START
FIRST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. UM THANK YOU FOR
GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT TODAY ABOUT
WHAT WE DO HERE AT CAL VET AND
IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR
COMMUNITY AND OTHER STATE
AGENCIES. UM YOU KNOW YOUR YOUR
INITIAL COMMENTS REGARDING, UH
YOU KNOW THE DECLINE IN VETERAN
HOMELESSNESS? UM YOU KNOW, I
THINK IN IN 2009, THERE WAS THE
POINT TIME COUNT. THE NUMBERS
FROM HUD CAME IN AROUND FOR
HOMELESS VETERANS IN THE STATE
AROUND 17,900 ISH. AH UM AND
SINCE THEN I, IT'S DECLINED BY
AROUND 40% OF THE STATE. UM WITH
IT NOW, YOU KNOW, SINCE ABOUT
2017 HOVERING AROUND UH, IT'S
VERY LITTLE BIT BETWEEN 10 5 TO
11 6, BUT THAT'S ABOUT WHERE
IT'S WHERE IT'S HELD, UM
NATIONALLY, THE NUMBER OF
VETERANS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS. UM AROUND 580,000
WITH BETTER IS MAKING UP ABOUT
30. OF THAT NUMBER, AND THAT
HOLDS TRUE HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AS WELL. AH UM, WITH
30% ROUGHLY OF CALIFORNIA'S
HOMELESS BEING UM, BEING VETERAN
SO. VETERAN CALIFORNIA HAS 49%
OF THE NATION'S PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AND
ABOUT 55% OF THE NATION'S
VETERANS, THE NATION'S VETERANS.
UM EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS. WITH THE LATEST
REPORT FROM FROM HUD, UH,
SHOWING 3400 HOMELESS VETERANS
IN THE L. A COC THAT'S C O C.
600. 2700 OF THOSE BEING ON
SHELTER TONIGHT. I BRING UP
THESE NUMBERS, PARTICULARLY
BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT WHETHER
YOU, HOWEVER YOU SCALE IT
GENERALLY. FROM NATIONALLY DOWN
TO THE STATE DOWN THE COUNTY.
THE RATIO IS ABOUT STAY THE
SAME. UM CURRENTLY, UH. TOTAL
INVENTORY IN CALIFORNIA
CURRENTLY STATEWIDE 3189 VETERAN
BEDS AND EMERGENCY SHELTER SAFE
HAVEN OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
TOTAL INVENTORY OF AARON.
PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS
AROUND 24,000. SO THERE'S A
LITTLE OVER. UM, IT'S 40. 44
CONTINUUM OF CARE. THROUGHOUT
THE THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THE
CONTINUUM OF CARE AWARDED
FUNDING FROM THE U. S HOUSING OF
COURSE, US HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT. HUD UM, AND THESE
SERVICE ACCESS POINTS FOR
INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS THAT CONDUCT
VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS, UM,
AND MAKE DETERMINATIONS ON
APPROPRIATE HOUSING AND SERVICES
THROUGH COORDINATED ENTRY
SYSTEMS. AH, UM AND THEN, OF
COURSE, BELOW THAT, OR WORKING
WITH THAT YOU HAVE THE HOUSING
AUTHORITY'S I KNOW WE HAVE FOLKS
HERE FROM LOSSES IN THE NEXT
PANEL. UM, WHO CAN SPEAK MORE
REGARDING THEIR ROLE? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. AND NEXT FROM H C. D.
YES GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO BE
HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS JENNIFER
SEEGER. I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FOR THE DIVISION OF STATE
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AT THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT JUST
TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND,
SO IN 2013 A B 639 RESTRUCTURED
THE VETERANS BOND ACT OF 2008
2008 AUTHORIZING 600 MILLION AND
EXISTING BOND AUTHORITY TO FUND
NEW MULTI FAMILY HOUSING FOR
VETERANS. WITH THE APPROVAL OF
PROPOSITION 41 BY THE CALIFORNIA
VOTERS ON JUNE 3RD 2014, THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT AND COLLABORATION
WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE
CALIFORNIA HOUSING FINANCE
AGENCY, AND CALVET CREATED THE
VETERANS HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM,
COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE H H
P OR THE HIP. IN FEBRUARY, 2015
H. C D ISSUED ITS FIRST NOTICE
OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY FOR THE
VETERANS HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM.
THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM WERE TO
MAKE AT LEAST 75 MILLION
ANNUALLY AVAILABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RELATED
FACILITIES, INCLUDING SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND THEIR
FAMILIES TO MAINTAIN HOUSING,
STABILITY, STABILITY. ALSO TO
HOUSE VETERANS AT A VARIETY OF
INCOME LEVELS, WITH A FOCUS OF
VETERANS EXPERIENCING CHRONIC
HOMELESSNESS. ENSURING THAT 50%
OF THE FUNDS WOULD SERVE
EXTREMELY LOW INCOME VETERANS
AND 60% OF THE HOUSING UNITS
WOULD REACH EXTREMELY LOW
HOUSING. HOUSEHOLDS AND BE
PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND THEN THE FINAL GOAL WAS TO
PRIORITIZE HOUSING TO BE
DEVELOPED IN THE AREAS. WITH
ESPECIALLY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS
OF CALIFORNIA'S MOST VULNERABLE
VETERANS. WHILE PRESERVING
FUNDING FOR OTHER AREAS ACROSS
THE STATE. SINCE 2015 HZDS
SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED A TOTAL OF
EIGHT NOTICES OF FUNDING
AVAILABILITY WITH THE MOST
RECENT NOTICE OF FUNNY
AVAILABILITY BEING RELEASED IN
MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE MOST
RECENT FUNDING AVAILABILITY
NOTICE ANNOUNCED THE
AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL 63
MILLION IN FUNDING, AND THIS
ALSO INCLUDED A GENERAL FUND
AUGMENTATION OF 50 MILLION THAT
WAS MADE TO THE PROGRAM IN THE
2223 STATE BUDGET. FOR THAT
NOTICE A FUNNY AVAILABILITY. HCG
HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 12
APPLICATIONS REQUESTING
APPROXIMATELY 110 MILLION IN
THIS FUNDING ROUND. THAT'S AN
OVERSUBSCRIPTION RATE OF
APPROXIMATELY 170% WHICH MEANS
THAT BY JANUARY 2024 H C D WILL
BE ANNOUNCING ITS FINAL VIP
PROGRAM AWARDS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS
THE END OF FUNDING UNDER THE VIP
PROGRAM AS IT EXISTS TODAY, HCG
CONTINUES TO OPERATE A VARIETY
OF OTHER PROGRAMS, BOTH FOR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS
AVAILABLE TO A WIDE VARIETY OF
POPULATIONS, INCLUDING VETERANS.
INCLUDING THE MULTI FAMILY
HOUSING PROGRAM, THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AND ALSO OUR
HOME KEY PROGRAM. I'VE PREPARED
A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT, WHICH I
BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COPY OF UM,
THAT OUTLAYS SOME OF THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE KEY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PROGRAM
TO DATE. THIS DOCUMENT
HIGHLIGHTS THE MOST RECENT ROUND
OF FUNDING, WHICH WAS ROUND
SEVEN, WHICH WAS AWARDED IN
JANUARY 2023 AND ALSO PROVIDES
DATA WITH A CUMULATIVE OUTCOMES
TO DATE. SO IN THIS DOCUMENT,
YOU CAN SEE THAT TO DATE WE HAVE
ASSISTED 3314. VETERANS OR VIP
PROGRAM ASSISTED UNITS IN 9797
PROJECTS ACROSS THE STATE. 38 OF
THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN LOCATED
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND
ANOTHER 11 PROJECTS ARE LOCATED
IN THE INLAND ORANGE COUNTY
REGION, WHICH INCLUDES THE
COUNTIES OF ORANGE, RIVERSIDE
AND SAN BERNARDINO. IN TERMS OF
FUNDS ALLOCATED 40% OF THE FUNDS
TOTALLY IN 22.7 MILLION HAS BEEN
AWARDED TO PROJECTS IN LOS
ANGELES COUNTY. 13% NO 227.
EXCUSE ME, 13% OR 72.5 MILLION
IN ORANGE, RIVERSIDE AND SAN
BERNARDINO COUNTIES SO BETWEEN
THE FOUR COUNTY AREA THAT'S 53%
OF THE FUNDS THAT WE'VE AWARDED
TO DATE THAT OTHER FUNDING
PROJECTS IN THE FOUR COUNTY
AREA. SO CUMULATIVELY. 66 OF THE
66% OF THE TOTAL UNITS CREATED
OR 2182 UNITS WILL BE AFFORDABLE
TO EXTREMELY LOW INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS. 1791 UNITS ARE
DEDICATED, PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING UNITS FOR VETERANS THAT
ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS OR
HOMELESS WITH A DISABILITY. AND
393 UNITS ARE FAMILY UNITS WITH
TWO OR MORE BEDROOMS. SO WITH
THE SUMMARY. IT GIVES A NICE
OUTLOOK IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEEN
AWARDED. BUT AS YOU LIKELY KNOW,
ONCE EACH CD MAKES AN AWARD, IT
CAN TAKE SEVERAL YEARS FOR THE
UNITS TO BE BUILT AND TO BE
AVAILABLE FOR ELIGIBLE TENANTS.
THIS IS DUE TO HCV FUNDS BEING
JUST ONE PIECE OF THE FUNDING
PUZZLE NECESSARY TO ALLOW
PROJECTS TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION.
MOST PROJECTS ALSO SEEK TAX
CREDITS FROM THE CALIFORNIA TAX
CREDIT ALLOCATION COMMITTEE,
WHICH IS ALSO A HIGHLY
COMPETITIVE PROCESS. AT EACH CD.
WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE STATUS
OF PROJECTS IN THREE BUCKETS.
PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED
UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THOSE
WHICH ARE OCCUPIED. FOR THE
AWARDS TO DATE OF THE 3314 UNITS
ABOUT 15% OF THOSE ARE IN THE
AWARDED STATUS. THAT MEANS
THEY'VE RECEIVED THEIR
COMMITMENT FROM H C D. THEY'RE
SECURING OTHER FUNDING TO BE
ABLE TO MOVE THE PROJECT INTO
THE PIPELINE AND BEGIN
CONSTRUCTION. 39% OF THOSE UNITS
HAVE SECURED ALL OF THEIR
NECESSARY ENTITLEMENTS, AND
THERE THEIR FUNDING TO BE ABLE
TO PUT A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND
AND 46% OF THE UNITS ARE
COMPLETED AND PROVIDING HOUSING
FOR ELIGIBLE VETERAN HOUSEHOLDS.
SO ONCE THE UNITS ARE BUILT, HCG
CONTINUED, CONTINUES TO MONITOR
THE UNITS FOR BOTH FINANCIAL AND
PHYSICAL HEALTH FOR THE TERM OF
THE 55 YEAR REGULATORY AGREEMENT
, RESTRICTING THE UNITS TO
ELIGIBLE VETERAN INDIVIDUALS OR
HOUSEHOLDS. CURRENTLY THE
DEPARTMENT HAS 41 PROJECTS. WITH
. JUST OVER 1500 UNITS FULLY
COMPLETED AND RENTING TO EL
ELIGIBLE VETERAN TENANTS.
TURNOVER RATES IN THESE UNITS
ARE QUITE LOW. WITH
APPROXIMATELY 85% OF THE TENANTS
HAVING BENEDICT BENEFITED FROM
LIVING AND STABILIZED HOUSING
FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS. EACH OF
THESE PROJECTS ARE SUBJECT TO
ANNUAL REPORTING AND ON SITE
VISITS TO MONITOR BOTH THE
FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF
THE PROPERTIES AS WELL AS
ENSURING THAT THE UNITS ARE
RENTED TO ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS
AND APPROPRIATE SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE PROGRAM
AND AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, AND NOW
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LHASA.
OKAY? CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. I
WASN'T SURE IF THE MASK WOULD BE
A HOW'S THIS? OKAY, TRULY. I'M
OKAY. UM OKAY, SO, UM I WANT TO
INTRODUCE MYSELF FIRST AND LET
PEOPLE KNOW JUST HOW LONG I'VE
BEEN AT LHASA, WHICH IS I'M IN
MY SIXTH WEEK. SO I AM HERE WITH
JEN ESCA BOZA, WHO IS TRULY AN
EXPERT ON LAWSUITS AND VETERANS.
UM I DID HAVE A LONG CAREER AT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKING
DIRECTLY WITH THE B A,
PARTICULARLY DURING THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION WHEN WE WERE
REALLY CRUNCHING ON ENDING
VETERAN HOMELESSNESS AND I'M
HOPING TO BRING THAT SAME AH,
SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP AND
RELATIONSHIPS AND OUTCOMES HERE.
UM. SPEAKING ABOUT VETERAN
HOMELESSNESS IN L. A, WHICH IS
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OF L A,
UM, IT CONTINUES TO DECLINE IN
THE NATION AND CALIFORNIA BUT L.
A STILL HAS THE LARGEST NUMBER
OF HOUSED VETERANS IN THE STATE.
ACCORDING TO THE 2022 POINT IN
TIME, COUNT, LOS ANGELES CITY
AND COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE HAD
3456 UNSHELTERED VETERANS. UM
DESPITE THE FACT THAT OVER A TWO
YEAR PERIOD FROM JANUARY 2018 TO
DECEMBER 2019 THE SYSTEM
COLLECTIVELY HOUSED 4730
VETERANS WHO WERE ON HOUSED AH,
A YEARLONG RAND STUDY OF A GROUP
OF MILITARY VETERANS WERE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN L.
A FOUND THAT FEW WERE ABLE TO
OBTAIN PERMANENT HOUSING OVER
THE COURSE OF THE PERIOD OF THE
STUDY, EVEN THOUGH THEY LIVED
NEAR THE REGION'S MAJOR V, A
MEDICAL CENTER. AS OF NOVEMBER.
1ST THERE ARE 1514 ACTIVE
VETERANS ON THE VETERAN BY NAME
LIST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE
NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT A BY NAME
LIST IS, UM, THESE ARE, UM.
HIGHLY PARTNERED AND
COLLABORATIVE LISTS THAT WE COME
UP WITH, SO THAT WE KNOW WHO IS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND
ALSO PARTICULARLY BY, UH,
POPULATION, SO THE IDEA IS, IF
WE CAN KNOW, THEN WE CAN HOUSE
UM, SO THAT'S THE POINT OF THE
BY NAME LIST. UM THROUGH THE ONE
TEAM INITIATIVE, WHICH IS FAIRLY
NEW, CORRECT. UM LHASA HAS LED
CAPACITY BUILDING CONVERSATIONS
WITH VETERAN SERVICE PROVIDERS,
ALSO WITH THE V, A MEDICAL
CENTER AND HOUSING AUTHORITIES
AT THE TABLE. UM IS LEADING
THESE CAPACITY BUILDING
CONVERSATIONS TO SCALE UP THE
CADENCE OF THESE BY NAME LIST
MEETINGS TO ONCE A WEEK, UM, SO
THAT PROVIDERS ARE ACTIVELY AND
REGULARLY DISCUSSING VETERAN
HOUSEHOLD NEEDS AND BARRIERS. UM
COLLABORATIVELY PROBLEM SOLVING,
MAKING SURE THAT THOSE
HOUSEHOLDS ARE CONNECTED TO
APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND
ENSURING CONSISTENT FOLLOW UP.
THIS IS A BEST PRACTICE THAT WE
USE ACROSS HOMELESS POPULATIONS,
AND IT'S A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE DON'T FALL THROUGH THE
CRACKS. UM AT THE SAME TIME,
LHASA HAS INCREASED THE CADENCE
OF TRAININGS AROUND THE BY NAME
LIST. UM AND THE PRACTICES THAT
GO WITH IT TO ENSURE UNIVERSAL
AND STANDARDIZED DATA COLLECTION
PROCESS, UM, AS WELL AS WORKING
WITH THE V A TO CREATE CASE
CONFERENCING GUIDELINES TO
MAXIMIZE THE RESOURCES. LHASA
AND V A ARE WORKING TOGETHER
RIGHT NOW TO DEVELOP A TRIAGE
TOOL WITHIN THE HOMELESS
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
ALSO KNOWN AS H. M. I S WHICH
WILL BE ACCESSIBLE BY ALL
HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS. UM
THROUGH THE EMBEDDED QUESTIONING
AND WORKFLOW. UM IT ALLOWS ALL
SERVICE PROVIDERS TO GUIDE
VETERANS TO THE APPROPRIATE
ELIGIBLE RESOURCES AND AT THE
SAME TIME CREATE A REFERRAL TO
EITHER THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
FOR VETERAN FAMILIES ALSO KNOWN
AS SPF, OR HUD VASH, WHICH IS
THE HUD VIA SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROGRAM. UM, THAT IS INNOVATIVE
AND SPURRED MANY OTHER, UM MANY
OTHER SERVICE AND HOUSING AGENCY
PARTNERSHIP MODELS FOLLOWING ITS
INTRODUCTION. I'LL TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU,
UM. SO THE BY NAME LIST CAN YOU
EXPLAIN HOW PEOPLE GET ONTO THIS
LIST. HOW DOES THAT WORK? MY
LOVELY, LOVELY COLLEAGUE CHEN
CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU. UM SO
CURRENTLY, UM LET'S EVEN SAY UP
AND TO OCTOBER 1ST THE WAY THAT
A PERSON GETS ONTO THE BY
NAMELESS IS BY SIMPLY ANY
PROVIDER, ENTERING THEM INTO OUR
HMCS SYSTEM AND INDICATING THAT
THEY ARE VETERAN THROUGH THAT WE
HAVE A MONTHLY RECONCILIATION
PROCESS THAT PULLS ANY NEWLY
ADDED VETERANS FROM THE H M S
SYSTEM INTO WHAT WE CALL OUR
COMMUNITY QUÊ. AND THEN THERE'S
A LITTLE BIT OF A VETTING
PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
INDEED VETERANS, UM, THAT THEY
ARE. SORRY I'M GONNA TAKE IT
BACK A LITTLE BIT. JUST TO
FURTHER EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE
VERIFYING VETERAN'S STATUS. UM
WE LIVE IN A LARGE COUNTY WITH
VERY MULTICULTURAL, UM.
POPULATION AND SO IT IS NOT
UNCOMMON FOR OUTREACH WORKERS TO
ENCOUNTER AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
REPORTS BEING A VETERAN. UM AND
THEY MAY HAVE SERVED IN MEXICO,
FOR EXAMPLE, OR CANADA UNTIL
THEY ARE VETERANS, JUST NOT US
VETERANS, AND SO THERE NEEDS TO
BE A LITTLE BIT OF ABETTING.
IT'S NOT AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS IN
WHICH WE VERIFY THAT THEY ARE
INDEED U. S MILITARY VETERANS.
THAT THEY ARE INDEED
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
INSTEAD OF COMING INTO THE
SYSTEM AT SEEKING PREVENTION
SERVICES. AND AT THAT POINT,
THEY ARE PRIORITIZED FOR OUR
CASE CONFERENCING MEETINGS TO
ENSURE THAT THEY ARE CONNECTED
TO SERVICES APPROPRIATELY. OKAY,
WONDERFUL. AND CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THERE'S AN
ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY VETERAN
APPLICANTS FOR SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, UM IN L. A ARE EARNING
MORE THAN 30% AM I? WE'VE HEARD
I'VE HEARD THROUGH TALKING TO
SOME SERVICE PROVIDERS AND SOME
FOLKS THAT SOMETIMES THE AMI
WHEN IT COMES TO VETERANS CAN BE
A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
HAVE YOU SEEN THAT? WE HAVE WITH
THE VETERAN POPULATION. THERE IS
THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM
TO BE CONNECTED TO SERVICE
CONNECTION BENEFITS. UM WHICH,
WHEN WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
IS 100% SERVICE CONNECTED,
MEANING THAT THEY DO HAVE THE
HIGHER LEVEL NEEDS AROUND MENTAL
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL
SERVICES THAT 100% RATING. GIVES
THEM AN INCOME THAT DOES PUT
THEM OVER THE 30% AM I AND IS
THERE ANY. CONVERSATION ABOUT I
DON'T KNOW. DO YOU SET AM I
REQUIREMENTS OR IS THAT SET
SOMEWHERE ELSE? AND IS THERE
THINKING ABOUT FLEXIBILITY WHEN
IT COMES TO VETERANS AROUND THE
AM I RESTRICTIONS AND ANYONE ON
THE PANEL CAN ANSWER THIS
BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BROADLY
CONCERN THAT COMES UP. SO THERE
WAS A BILL THIS YEAR IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE THAT WAS
PASSED AND SIGNED BY THE
GOVERNOR. IT'S A B 1386, AND IT
IS SPECIFIC TO OUR PROGRAM, OUR
VETERANS HOUSING PROGRAM AS I
MENTIONED, A LOT OF THESE UNITS
ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND
WILL STILL BE LEASING UP IN THE
NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. WE HAVE
SEEN SOME EXPERIENCES OF
INDIVIDUAL PROJECT SPONSORS
HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING THE
30% INCOME, RIGHT AND THAT'S A
STATUTORY REQUIREMENT OF OUR
PROGRAM RIGHT THAT A CERTAIN
THAT 50% OF THE FUNDS HAVE TO
SERVE THAT POPULATION. UM SO
WHAT THE BILL DOES IS IT
PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF
FLEXIBILITY. UM WHERE A SPONSOR
CAN PROVIDE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT,
UM, TO FIND HOUSEHOLDS OR
INDIVIDUALS THAT MEET THAT 30%
GUIDELINE. BUT IF THEY AREN'T
ARE UNABLE TO THEN WE DO ALLOW
FLEXIBILITY TO KIND OF BUMP THAT
UNIT UP TO 50% AND UNDER SOME,
UM SOME CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES UP
TO EVEN 60% NOW WE DO ASK THAT
OUR HOUSING SPONSORS WORK WITH
THE LOCAL, UM LOCAL CONTINUUM OF
CARE AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE
TRYING TO FIND THIS APPROPRIATE
HOUSEHOLDS. WE ALSO UNDER SOME
CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE ALSO
SUGGESTED THAT THEY REACH OUT TO
CALVET AND OUR PARTNERS THERE,
AND IN SOME INSTANCES, WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO GET THE 30%
HOUSEHOLDS INTO THE UNITS. BUT
THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW. NOT AN
OPTION AS FOLKS ARE TRYING TO
LISA, BUT A PRETTY STEADY SPACE
RIGHT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT
THESE UNITS TO REMAIN VACANT,
RIGHT? WE ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE
HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND WE WANT THEM IN
THOSE UNITS, SO THIS BILL WILL
PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBILITY, MOVING
FORWARD AND DO A REFRESH MY
MEMORY. WHEN DOES THAT GO INTO
EFFECT? OR IS IT IMMEDIATE
JANUARY? JANUARY? OKAY, GREAT.
SO WE'LL BE UPDATING OUR PROGRAM
GUIDELINES TO INCORPORATE THAT
FLEXIBILITY HERE IN THE NEAR
TERM. AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE,
UM THE DEVELOPER WHO IS NOT ABLE
TO BE HERE TODAY IS OPENING A
PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT. AND CHATSWORTH. UM,
WHICH IS SOMETHING I WAS
INVOLVED IN? SUPPORTING. AND, UM
. AND NOW I HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY
ENGAGED IN TRYING TO HELP FIND
VETERANS FOR THAT HOUSING
BECAUSE THERE'S IT'S BEEN THEY
HAD ANOTHER LOCATION WHERE
ACTUALLY TOOK THEM A YEAR TO
LEASE UP AND FILL THE VETERAN
SPOTS. UM AND THIS ONE IS, UM,
YOU KNOW, OVER 50% HAS TO BE
VETERANS AND, UM AND WE IT'S
TAKEN MY WONDERFUL CHIEF
CONSULTANT. CHRISTIAN HAS GOTTEN
ENGAGED. I KNOW WE'VE ENGAGED
YOUR AGENCIES AS WELL. AND I
KNOW THEY'VE REACHED OUT TO
LHASA. UM AND WE'VE BEEN SHAKING
THE TREES AT SERVICE PROVIDERS
AND KIND OF EVERYWHERE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE FINDING VETERANS
AND YOU KNOW? IT'S. I AM. IT'S
GREAT TO SEE THAT VETERAN
HOMELESSNESS IS GOING DOWN, BUT
WE STILL KNOW THAT THERE'S
THOUSANDS OF VETERANS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. UM,
AND A NEED OUT THERE. AND SO, UM
, YOU KNOW WHEN I THINK THEY PUT
A REQUEST OUT TO LHASA, AND THEY
GOT BACK THREE APPLICATIONS, AND
IT SEEMS LIKE IN A COUNTY LIKE
LOS ANGELES, THERE MIGHT BE MORE
THAN THREE APPLICATIONS THAT
WOULD COME IN FROM A REQUEST
LIKE THAT. AND I'M TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT KIND OF WHAT, UM LIKE
, WHERE ARE THE CHALLENGES ARE
DISCONNECTED OR HOW WE IMPROVE
THE SYSTEM OF FINDING FOLKS WHO
NEED HOUSING BECAUSE WE KNOW
THEY'RE OUT THERE. I MEAN, I'VE
JUST BEEN A VETERAN AFFAIRS,
TELLING DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND
GIVING THEM FLYERS FOR THIS
HOUSING TO TRY TO TELL PEOPLE
ABOUT IT. AND EVERYONE I TALKED
TO WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS GREAT.
WE HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW, BUT HOW DO WE KIND OF
BETTER? UM CREATE. LINES OF
COMMUNICATION AND REFERRALS WHEN
THERE ARE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS,
BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE TO ME. WE
SHOULD FILL THESE SPOTS UP. I
MEAN, THEY'RE READY TO OPEN UP.
MAYBE NEXT MONTH. HOPEFULLY UM
OR BY JANUARY SO, UM, HOW DO WE
KIND OF FIGURED OUT AN IMPROVED
SYSTEM THERE? I AM, UM FOR THE
SPECIFIC QUESTION. I'M GOING TO
HAVE GENEROUS POND. BUT I WOULD
LIKE TO SAY. EVERY ONE OF THESE
BUILDINGS AND ALL OF THESE
PROGRAMS. EVERYTHING HAS VERY
SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS ATTACHED TO IT. SO
EVEN WHEN I SAY VETERAN, THAT
MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS,
DEPENDING ON THE PROGRAM. IF
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUD, VASH IF
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPF IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER PROGRAM UM
IT IS A VERY COMPLEX SYSTEM THAT
WE WORK WITHIN. UM AND. THAT IS
SET UP BY STATUTES BY
REGULATIONS BY POLICY. THERE'S
SOME THAT WE CAN REMOVE, BUT
WHAT WE FOUND AT LEAST AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL IS THE WAY TO WORK
ON THIS STUFF. IS GET TOGETHER
IN A ROOM. GET YOUR TAKE DOWN
TARGETS. UM AND GET IT DONE AS A
GROUP MOVING WITH OPERATIONAL
URGENCY. UM I THINK THAT IS
THAT'S HOW WE MOVE FASTER THAN
ONE YEAR WHICH I UNDERSTAND THAT
FRUSTRATION, BUT I WILL LEAVE IT
TO CHEN TO TALK ABOUT
SPECIFICALLY. THAT REFERRAL
PROCESS AND IF THERE ARE YOU
KNOW IF IN YOUR ANSWERS YOU CAN
ALSO INCLUDE IF THERE ARE
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE YOU
KNOW RESTRICTIONS AROUND UM
DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, RIGHT. BUT
AT THE STATE LEVEL, UM IF THERE
ARE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT
HOW TO OPEN THAT UP AND NOT HAVE
IT SO PRESCRIPTIVE THAT IT'S
ENDS UP UNDERMINING INSTEAD OF
HELPING, UM, I THINK THAT YOU
KNOW THAT'S HELPFUL TO HEAR.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO
SHARE THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS
NOT A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE OFTEN HEAR
BACK AND AS AN ADMINISTRATOR WHO
IS OFTEN ADVERTISING THESE UNITS
AT EVERY ONE OF OUR WE HAVE
EIGHT BY NAMELESS CASE
CONFERENCING MEETINGS, UM, EIGHT
SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE
PERSON SPA IN L, A COUNTY. WE
HAVE SERVICE PLANNING AREAS. UM,
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE
FAMILIAR WITH IT. JUST BECAUSE
WE'RE SUCH A LARGE AND POPULOUS
REGION. AND SO AT EIGHT MEETINGS
A WEEK WHERE ADVERTISING THE
UNITS AND LIKE YOU, I OFTEN GO
INTO IT THINKING WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE SO MANY APPLICANTS. WE
DEFINITELY HAVE THE NUMBERS FOR
THIS. UM BUT IS ABBY MENTIONED
ONCE WE START FILTERING OUT THE
ELIGIBILITY. UM WE DON'T END UP
WITH THE AMOUNT THAT WE DESIRE.
FOR EXAMPLE, UM, TWO WEEKS AGO,
WE HAD A NEW UNIT. AND SO WE
WERE ADVERTISING THIS AND WE'RE
LOOKING FOR 28 APPLICANTS, AND
IT AND IT'S VERY EXCITING THAT
WE HAVE THESE 28 UNITS, AND THEN
WE START FILTERING BY THE
ELIGIBILITY AND WE ENDED UP WITH
FOUR INDIVIDUALS. UM THAT BEING
SAID, AS A COMMUNITY, I CAN SAY
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT A B 13.
86 SORRY. ALL THESE NUMBERS. I
GET THEM CONFUSED. WE'RE VERY
EXCITED ABOUT A B 1386 AND THE
DOORS THAT THAT'S GOING TO OPEN
UP AND HOPEFULLY INSTEAD OF THE
FOUR APPLICANTS TO THE 28 UNITS.
WE CAN NOW OPEN IT UP AND HAVE
THE GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE 30
APPLICANTS FOR THOSE UNITS. I
DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS
TO CHIME IN. UM I, YOU KNOW, I'D
SAY, UM YOU KNOW WHEN WE LOOK AT
SPECIFICALLY LIKE THE SHOWERS,
THE DEVELOPMENT UM YOU KNOW WHAT
ONE OF THE KEY PIECES IN THAT
PROJECT IS. THE VETERAN
RESTRICTED UNITS. WHEN I
RECOLLECT OUR, UM 100% HUD VASH
BASED SO WITHIN TH HP. THERE'S A
10% REQUIREMENT FOR NON NON VÀ
ELIGIBLE. AH TO BE HOUSED WITHIN
VHP. UM ON THE VETERAN
RESTRICTED UNITS, SO UM. 2021
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR HUD
BASH HAD SHIFTED. I'M TO ALLOW
FOR, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH Ó THS
OR BAD PAPER. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR
HUD VASH. UM WE'RE AT CALVIN
EXCITED TO SEE UM, HOW EMERSON
IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND
THAT SHOT WITH THAT CHATSWORTH
PROJECT. WITH GETTING THOSE
FILLED. WORKING WITH THE L. A. I
THINK THAT BEING ABLE TO UM, GET
. PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR HOW
THAT COULD OPERATE. COULD BE
SCALABLE. UM TWO OTHER
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS ACROSS THE
STATE. THANK YOU. UM SO. CAN YOU
EXPLAIN THE KIND OF PROCESS UM,
AT LHASA FOR SOMEONE TO WHO
SEEKING HOUSING OR SHELTER
WITHIN THE COORDINATED ENTRY
SYSTEM? YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT IT. BUT LIKE WHAT IF THEY
CALLED TO 11? WHAT HAPPENS FROM
THERE ON. I AM AGAIN GOING TO
SET A LITTLE CONTEXT. PASS IT TO
CHEN. UM SO LHASA IS, I THINK
SOMETIMES YOU KNOW PEOPLE SAY
LHASA AND THEY ACTUALLY MEAN
SERVICE PROVIDER OR ANOTHER PART
OF THE SYSTEM THAT ISN'T
NECESSARILY LHASA. SO JUST TO
SITUATE IT, UM, THE LHASA IS THE
ENTITY THAT SITS, UM, THAT IS
JOINTLY AUTHORIZED BY THE CITY
AND THE COUNTY OF L A TO BE THE
SYSTEM LEAD, SO WE DO A LOT OF
LEADING, COORDINATING,
FACILITATING CONVENING. UM BUT
DO NOT ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE
SERVICES. UM SO I JUST WANTED TO
SET THAT CONTEXT. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. UM. AND SO AGAIN, THE
QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN
INDIVIDUAL CALLS FOR EXAMPLE TWO
AND ONE. AND HOW ARE THEY
CONNECTED TO SERVICES? UM, THE
SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED
RIGHT NOW IS THAT TWO ON ONE IS
THEY HAVE THE FOUNDATION. THEY
KNOW WHO ALL OF OUR VETERANS
SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE BY SPA,
AND SO THEY IMMEDIATELY KNOW TO
CONNECT THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO
THAT SERVICE PROVIDER. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF A VETERANS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND
WANTS TO IS LOOKING FOR SHELTERS
LOOKING FOR NASA'S WE HAVE
PROGRAMMING AND HE'S OUT BY L. A
X TWO AND ONE PROVIDER IS GOING
TO KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE YOUR
US MEDS. UM AFTER THAT, IT'S AS
ABBY MENTIONED WE ARE THE LEAD
AGENCY AND OR COORDINATING AND
HELPING MEDIATE A LOT OF THE
SERVICES IN BETWEEN. PROVIDERS,
UM SO ONCE THEY'RE CONNECTED TO
THE PROVIDER, IT IS REALLY UP TO
THE PROVIDER TO DETERMINE WHAT
OTHER SERVICES ARE NEEDED. IF IT
IS OUTSIDE OF THAT ONE SPECIFIC
AGENCY. HOW WOULD YOU THEN? I
WOULD SAY FROM INTERIM. OKAY
SORRY. I'LL BE JUST ADDED A
LITTLE BIT OF A OF A QUESTION
JUST TO ADD TO MAKE THINGS A
LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC. WHAT
WHAT? ABBY JUST ASK US. HOW DO
WE THEN MOVE FROM INTERIM TO
PERMANENT? UM I WILL SAY THAT
WITHIN L A COUNTY WE ARE VERY
BLESSED IN THAT A LOT OF R S S
VF PROVIDERS OR INTERIM HOUSING
PROVIDED THAT THEY TEND TO BE
THE SAME AGENCIES WHO CARRY
THESE CONTRACTS, AND SO IT IS A
LITTLE BIT STREAMLINED IN THAT
WAY. UM AGAIN, WE DO HAVE THE BY
NAMELESS CASE CONFERENCING
MEETINGS IN WHICH WE ARE VERY
HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE A
LOT OF NEW PEOPLE TO THE TABLE
THAT WEREN'T TRADITIONALLY
ATTENDING THESE CASE
CONFERENCING, AND SO WE HAVE
HOUSING MATTERS. WE HAVE THE VÀ.
WE HAVE NON VETERAN OUTREACH AND
SERVICE PROVIDERS. AND ONCE AT
THAT TABLE WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THAT VETERAN WE'RE SAYING,
HEY, THIS PERSON IS AN INTERIM
HOUSING. HOW DO WE GET THE MATCH
TO PERMANENT HOUSING? THAT'S
WHEN WE'RE CONNECTING AND
ADVERTISING THE PSH VACANCIES.
AND ARE YOU FINDING A I MEAN,
SO, UM I CO FOUNDED AN
ORGANIZATION WORKING ON
HOMELESSNESS IN MY DISTRICT IN
THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, AND, UM
. AND JUST FROM AND I DID
OUTREACH FOR OVER A YEAR EVERY
SUNDAY THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY, SO
I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MY
COMMUNITY. MANY OF THEM
FORTUNATELY GOT INTO PLACES OR
NOT. I WOULDN'T SAY MANY
MULTIPLE GOT INTO PLACES DURING
COVID WITH PROJECT ROOM KEY. UM,
WHICH WAS GREAT. UM A LOT OF
THEM ARE STILL IN THERE AND
HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND
PERMANENT HOUSING. AND SO I'M
WONDERING KIND OF. UM IF YOU
HAVE A SENSE OF IT. SEEMS LIKE.
THERE'S A HUGE BOTTLENECK AROUND
INTERIM BECAUSE THERE IS NO
PERMANENT OR NOT ENOUGH
PERMANENT HOUSING TO PUT PEOPLE
INTO. UM AND I WONDER, AND THIS
IS OPEN TO THE WHOLE PANEL. I
MEAN, FORTUNATELY, THERE'S BEEN
RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO
VETERAN HOUSING IS THAT LESS OF
A BOTTLENECK? DO WE NOTICE? ARE
THERE MORE? IS THERE A MORE OF A
FLOW TO THE PATHWAY OF PERMANENT
HOUSING? IF YOU ARE A VETERAN,
AND YOU DO GET INTO INTERIM
HOUSING, OR IS IT STILL A LOT OF
LONG WAIT TO TRY TO IDENTIFY AND
FIND SOME PERMANENT HOUSING?
SORRY I WAS PROCESSING. YOU
KNOW, I WANTED TO TAKE YOUR
TIME. PROVIDING THE MOST
ACCURATE INFORMATION. CURRENTLY
IN THE VETERANS SYSTEM. IF MY
MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, WE
HAVE ABOUT 180 VACANT PSH UNITS.
UM WITH ABOUT 130 APPLICATIONS
IN THE PROCESS. AND SO AGAIN
WHEN IT COMES TO THE VETERANS
SYSTEM IN L A AGAIN WE'RE
INCREDIBLY BLESSED THAT
EVERYBODY IS REALLY WILLING TO
BE HANDS, HANDS ON, AND THERE'S
A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH
PROVIDED ESPECIALLY NOW THROUGH
THE ONE TEAM INITIATIVE. UM. IT
COMES DOWN OFTEN TO VETERAN
CHOICE ONCE WE ONCE WE DETERMINE
THAT A VETERAN IS ELIGIBLE, AND
WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO THAT
PERSON THAT THERE IS THIS VACANT
UNIT THAT YOU MEET ELIGIBILITY
FOR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN? YOU WANT
TO GO AND VIEW THE UNIT? WE HAVE
SOME PICTURES. DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? UM IT OFTEN
COMES DOWN TO VETERAN CHOICE AND
SO CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE
HAVING NOW WITH DEVELOPMENTS OR
DEVELOPERS AS THEY'RE CONNECTING
WITH US TALKING TO US ABOUT WHAT
THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AS THEY
BRING A NEW PROJECTS. WE'RE
ASKING THEM TO TAKE THINGS INTO
CONSIDERATION. THAT PERHAPS WERE
OVERLOOKED IN THE PAST YEARS. UM
ANYTIME SOMEBODY ASKED ME THIS
SPECIFIC QUESTION, I THINK BACK
JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND. I USED
TO BE A SERVICE PROVIDER MYSELF.
AND SO A FEW YEARS AGO, I ALWAYS
THINK BACK TO THIS THIS CASE WE
HAD A VETERAN EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND WE FOUND THIS
BEAUTIFUL UNIT. AND HE WAS
ABSOLUTELY ADAMANT THAT HE
WANTED TO GET OFF THE STREETS AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE CONNECTED HIM
TO THE UNIT. WE MOVED HIM INTO
THE UNIT, AND THREE DAYS LATER I
GET A CALL FROM HIM. AND HE SAID
MS CHEN, I DON'T THINK THIS IS
GOING TO WORK OUT. UM THE
NEAREST BUS STOP IS ABOUT A MILE
AND A HALF AWAY. I HAVE PHYSICAL
AILMENTS. I CAN'T WALK A MILE
AND A HALF AWAY TO CATCH THE BUS
TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE EVERY
SINGLE DAY. I MEAN, SO IT'S
THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE ARE
ASKING DEVELOPERS TO CONSIDER
BECAUSE THEY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
VETERAN CHOICE, I'M ALWAYS VERY
CAREFUL TO UM I AM NOT ONE OF
THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL EVER
USE THE WORD ENTITLED WHEN IT
COMES TO A VETERAN. BECAUSE WHEN
IT COMES TO VETERAN CHOICES, THE
CHOICES THAT THEY'RE MAKING OUR
CHOICES THAT I WOULD MAKE FOR
MYSELF AND MY OWN HOUSING. IF I
HAVE A PHYSICAL DISABILITY THAT
I'M GONNA LIVE WITH, I'M NOT
GOING TO WALK A MILE AND A HALF
AWAY TO A BUS STOP TO GET MY
MOST BASIC NEEDS MET. AND SO
THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT
WE'RE HAVING WITH DEVELOPERS.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT CONTEXT,
BECAUSE I THINK THAT, UM YOU
KNOW THERE. THERE'S A NARRATIVE
A LOT OF TIMES AND NOT I DON'T
HEAR IT SO MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO
VETERANS, BUT GENERALLY AROUND
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
THAT UM, THAT PEOPLE ARE SERVICE
RESISTANT, AND I THINK THAT
THERE'S THAT HASN'T BEEN MY
EXPERIENCE AT ALL. AND YOU KNOW,
WE OUTREACH TO 500 PEOPLE EVERY
SUNDAY AND THE YOU KNOW 40 TO 50
PEOPLE THAT I WOULD OUTREACH TO
EVERY SUNDAY WHEN WE HAD ACCESS
OR CONNECTIONS TO HELP PEOPLE
GET INTO PROJECT ROOM KEY. THEY
WERE LIKE, WHERE, WHEN GET ME IN
THERE, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE I CAN
REMEMBER. HESITATING WHERE
PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SURE IF THEY
COULD BRING THEIR PET, WHICH A
LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD NOT TAKE
HOUSING IF THEY COULDN'T BRING
THEIR PET OR THEIR SPOUSE OR
PARTNER. UM OR, YOU KNOW ONE HE
HAD, YOU KNOW, BIG, BULKY STUFF
THAT HE MADE HIS INCOME OFF OF
AND IF HE LEFT THAT BEHIND, HE
WOULDN'T HAVE ANY SOURCE OF
INCOME RIGHT SO THINGS THAT
PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES ABOUT IN
HOUSING ALL THE TIME, WHETHER
IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THEM,
AND, UM AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE
TO. IF WE WANT TO BE A
SUCCESSFUL WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE PRESENTING OPTIONS
THAT WORK FOR PEOPLE. UM AND
THAT ACTUALLY HELPED THEM THRIVE
. UM, AND AREN'T JUST, YOU KNOW,
STICKING PEOPLE IN A CUBBYHOLE
SOMEWHERE? UM OUT OF SIGHT, BUT
NOT REALLY BEING SUCCESSFUL. SO,
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. UM. SO
FOR HC D. COULD YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR SENSE OF
THE DEMAND FOR THE B HIP STYLE
FUNDING AND HOW MANY IN AWARDED
APPLICATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE
THERE. SO QUITE HONESTLY,
HISTORICALLY, THE PROGRAM, UM
KIND OF SALT AND UNDER
SUBSCRIPTION RATE KIND OF IN THE
INTERIM YEARS, WE'VE BEEN
PUTTING OUT APPROXIMATELY 75
MILLION WITH EACH ELIGIBLE
NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY,
UM, TYPICALLY BEEN ABLE TO MAKE
AWARDS JUST REALLY CLOSE. TO
THAT AMOUNT. THE
OVERSUBSCRIPTION RATES HAVE NOT
BEEN GREAT. I THINK SOME OF THE
CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO OUR
MULTI FAMILY FUNDING PROGRAMS
MORE GENERALLY. IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS. WE WERE WHERE WE ARE NOW
PUTTING OUT A SINGLE WHAT WE
CALL THEM A SUPERNOVA THAT
COMBINES MULTIPLE FUNDING
PROGRAMS IN A ONE APPLICATION
KIND OF ONE STOP AND THE VIP
FUNDING HAS BEEN INCORPORATED
INTO THAT SUPERNOVA. WE'VE SEEN
A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPTAKE. UM IN
INTEREST FOR THE VETERANS
PROGRAMS, AND WE WERE
OVERSUBSCRIBED LAST YEAR AND
ALSO OVERSUBSCRIBED THIS YEAR.
UM SO I THINK THAT'S THAT
TRAJECTORY HAS KIND OF CHANGED A
LITTLE BIT WITH SOME OF THE
RADIO RANKING CRITERION AND THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DRIVE FORWARD AS POLICY
OBJECTIVES OURSELVES. UM I DID
WANT TO MENTION KIND OF IN
RESPONSE TO YOUR EARLIER COMMENT
ABOUT TAKING FOLKS FROM KIND OF
THE INTERIM HOUSING MODEL TO THE
MORE PERMANENT HOUSING MODEL
OTHER NOT SPECIFIC TO VETERANS.
THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE INVESTMENT
IN THE LAST, UM 2 TO 3 YEARS AT
THE STATE LEVEL. FOR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES FOR MULTI FAMILY
RENTAL HOUSING. UM AND WHEN I
TALKED A BIT ABOUT THOSE THREE
BUCKETS OF AWARDED UNDER
CONSTRUCTION AND OCCUPIED, WE
HAVE A HUGE NUMBER OF PROJECTS
THAT ARE AWARDED INITIAL HDD
FUNDS, WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH
ONE FUNDING SOURCE OR TO FUNDING
SOURCES RIGHT THAT ARE IN THAT
PIPELINE. THAT ARE GETTING READY
TO BREAK GROUND. I THINK UM,
SOMETIMES THERE'S A
MISUNDERSTANDING THAT ONCE THE
HCG FUNDS COME OUT, IT'S LIKE
YOU MOVE STRAIGHT FORWARD, AND
THERE IS THAT UNFORTUNATE KIND
OF TIMES AWAY, BUT THERE WILL BE
, UM, IN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS
LIKE WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT MORE
CONSTRUCTION STARTS FROM SOME OF
THESE FUNDING SOURCES THAT HAVE
BEEN MADE AVAILABLE. AND THAT
WILL EXPAND KIND OF THE
PERMANENT HOUSING AVAILABILITY
IN SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES AS
WELL. OKAY WONDERFUL. UM AND I
APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT
SUPERNOVA ACTUALLY HAD A BILLY B
519 THIS YEAR. FORTUNATELY
SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, AND
WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND AND
STREAMLINE EVEN MORE THE STATE
FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE AND, UM
LOW INCOME AND HOMELESS HOUSING
AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE
PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND
ALSO DON'T END UP IN HAVING
DELAYS AND HAVING TO WAIT UNTIL
THINGS OPEN UP THE NEXT YEAR
BECAUSE THEY MISSED SOMETHING
BECAUSE ANOTHER DEADLINE, YOU
KNOW WAS WAS GETTING IN THE WAY.
YEAH, AND MATCHING UP THE JUST
KIND OF THE CONTINUUM OF ALL THE
DIFFERENT STATE RESOURCES THAT
ARE ACROSS VARIOUS HOUSING
AGENCIES AT THE STATE LEVEL, FOR
SURE. YES UM SO OKAY AS AN
ORGANIZATION. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT
WHAT HCG HAS LEARNED FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE HIP AND
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS
SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS LIKE
WHAT ARE KIND OF THE LESSONS
LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SO
WE'RE JUST BEGINNING TO SEE SOME
OF THE OUTCOME DATA FOR OUR
PROJECTS AS I MENTIONED WE'VE
GOT ABOUT, I THINK, 41 DIFFERENT
PROJECTS NOW THAT HAVE BEEN
PUSHED INTO OPERATION. WE GET
ANNUAL REPORTS ON KIND OF JUST
THERE. UM. THEIR TENANT OUTCOMES
. I DID MENTION THE 85% OF THE
HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING FOR 12
OR MORE MONTHS. WE SEE THAT AS A
VERY POSITIVE OUTCOME, RIGHT?
WE'RE NOT SEEING THE SAME LEVEL
OF TURNOVER THAT WE WOULD MAYBE
EVEN IN OUR NON PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS, RIGHT
BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THOSE SERVICES
THAT ARE TIED. TO IT. WE'VE ALSO
SEEN THAT I THINK IT'S ABOUT 74%
OF THE UH, OF TENANTS HAVE SEEN
A INCREASE IN THEIR INCOME LEVEL
BECAUSE THEY'RE STABLE HOUSED.
THEY'RE ABLE TO KEEP A JOB AS
WELL. AND SO THAT'S ALSO BEEN A
POSITIVE INCOME OR POSITIVE
OUTCOME. WE'RE STARTING TO
COLLECT THAT DATA NOW, UM AND WE
WILL BE PUBLISHING KIND OF MORE
INFORMATION AS WE UM, RECEIVE
IT. BUT SO FAR, I THINK THE
OUTCOMES HAVE BEEN VERY
POSITIVE. GREAT THAT'S
WONDERFUL. AND DO YOU KNOW WHEN
YOU SAY, UM I THINK YOU SAID 85%
ARE STABLE FOR A YEAR OR MORE.
FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WHAT? THE
WHAT THE STANDARD IS? YEAH. FOR
NON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
. DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM AND
AFTER THE FINAL ROUND OF FUNDING
IS AWARDED. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS
THE FUTURE OF THE HIP
ADMINISTRATION? SO ONCE WE AWARD
ALL OF THE FUNDS, WE WILL BE
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH SERVICE
PROVIDERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT
SPONSORS TO MOVE THESE PROJECTS
THROUGH THE PIPELINE. AS I
MENTIONED WE HAVE A 55 YEAR
REGULATORY AGREEMENT ON THESE
PROJECTS, SO WE'RE IN IT FOR THE
LONG HAUL, RIGHT? WE'RE
MONITORING THOSE UNITS WERE
MONITORING. THE FINANCIAL AND
PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE BUILDING
AND THE OPERATIONS AND THEN
ENSURING THAT WE ARE GETTING
THOSE, UM ELIGIBLE VETERANS INTO
THOSE UNITS, AND THEY CONTINUE
TO BE A SOURCE OF HOUSING IN THE
COMMUNITY. SO WE WILL CONTINUE
IN THAT ROLE. OKAY, WONDERFUL.
AND UM AND I KNOW THAT OFTEN,
WOMEN VETERANS ARE MORE LIKELY
TO BE UNSHELTERED. I WONDER, CAL
THAT, UM, IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
WHY THIS IS THE CASE, AND IF
THERE ARE ANYTHING, YOU KNOW ANY
IDEAS ON WHAT WE CAN DO
DIFFERENTLY TO ADDRESS THIS
DISCREPANCY. YOU KNOW, I WOULD,
UM YOU KNOW, I WOULD. I WOULD
SAY THAT, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH
WITH WOMEN VETERANS, UM I WOULD
HAVE TO DEFER BACK TO MY DEPUTY
MY WOMEN VETERANS DEPUTY
SECRETARY TO GET A LITTLE BIT
MORE COLOR ON THAT. I'M MORE
THAN HAPPY TO INFORM THE
COMMITTEE AND YOU, MADAM CHAIR
REGARDING THAT. ANYONE ELSE ON
THE PANEL THOUGHTS? SOME SOME
ANECDOTES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE
OPERATION OF OUR PROGRAM. I
THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE HEARD, UM IS THAT
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE FEMALE
VETERANS THAT HAVE IT, UM,
EXPERIENCE SOME SORT OF TRAUMA
OR SEXUAL ABUSE, RIGHT? AND SO A
LOT OF THESE HOUSING PROJECTS
ARE VERY, UM. MALE HEAVY. CAN I
SAY RIGHT? AND SO THERE IS A
LITTLE BIT OF, UM, KIND OF FEAR.
UNCOMFORTABLENESS IN GOING INTO
A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WHERE
THERE ARE A LOT OF SINGLE MALES
WHEN YOU WHEN YOU'RE COMING FROM
THAT BACKGROUND OF HAVING
EXPERIENCED THAT KIND OF TRAUMA.
UM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I
THINK WE'VE SEEN OUR DEVELOPMENT
SPONSORS DO IS UM. HAVE AREAS
WHERE THEY'RE SPLITTING THE
PROJECT SO THAT YOU HAVE AN AREA
WHERE THE MALE VETERANS KIND OF
CAN GET TOGETHER AND SOCIALIZE
IN AN AREA OF THE PROJECT THAT
IS SPECIFIC TO MALES AND THEN
ALSO AN AREA THAT IS SPECIFIC TO
FEMALES. WE FOUND THAT THAT KIND
OF WORK, RIGHT? THAT'S THE KIND
OF THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD. UM
AS WE'VE ROLLED OUT THE PROGRAM
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS ANY.
HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING? OR UM,
SEEN ANY DATA ABOUT ALSO, WOMEN
MORE LIKELY TO HAVE CHILDREN AND
WHETHER OR NOT THAT CREATES
BARRIERS TO FINDING FAMILY
HOUSING AVAILABLE. YEAH WE DO
HAVE FAMILY UNITS. MOST OF OUR
UNITS ARE DEVELOPED AS ONE
BEDROOMS OR SA ROSE. UM BUT THE
FAMILY UNITS ARE KIND OF RARE,
BUT I ALSO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF
THE COIN ON THAT ONE, RIGHT? I
THINK FOR SINGLE FEMALE PARENTS,
RIGHT? YES WITH CHILDREN. THAT'S
ONE THING, BUT THEN WE ALSO DO
HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT EXPERIENCE
DIFFICULTY FINDING ELIGIBLE
VETERAN FAMILIES TO FILL THOSE
UNITS. SO KIND OF BOTH. BOTH
THINGS I GUESS ARE TRUE AT THE
SAME TIME. AND, UM. AND BACK TO
THE S S. R. SO. YOU KNOW,
KNOWING THAT THIS IS A PILOT
PRIVATE PROGRAM AND IN EARLY
STAGES YET THE V HIP, UM, WHICH
DOVETAILS WITH IT IS ABOUT THE
ABOUT TO ISSUE ITS LAST AWARDS.
IF THE V SSR PILOT IS SUCCESSFUL
ENOUGH, SHOULD IT BE EXPANDED.
AND HOW DO WE HOW AND WHERE DO
WE DO THAT? YEAH. YOU KNOW, THE
TSR PROGRAM REALLY IS, UM, CAN
YOU I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT
CAN YOU CAN YOU DESCRIBE AND
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SSR
TO? ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS SO IN UM UH F Y
2223. AH! IN THE BUDGET. THERE
WAS $20 MILLION TO START A
PILOT. SPECIFIC TO LOOKING AT
HOW VETERANS UM OR HIGH ACUITY
AND AGING AS IT 55 AND OVER
TYPICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN
WE ENHANCE THEIR SUPPORTIVE
SERVICES IN A PERMIT, SUPPORTIVE
SETTING, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT
FOLKS SAY STABLE HOUSED AND IT'S
20 MILLION WAS PROVIDED TO THE
DEPARTMENT VETERAN AFFAIRS AS A
GRANT PROGRAM. SO UM, THERE WERE
SIX GRANTEES WITHIN THE BSS. OUR
PROGRAM SEVEN APPLYING,
BASICALLY FROM I THINK THE
FURTHEST NORTH IS SONOMA GOING
DOWN TO SAN DIEGO, UM, SCATTERED
IN BETWEEN. AH LOS ANGELES
COUNTY HAS OR LOS ANGELES COUNTY
HAS ONE GRANT T AS WELL AS
RIVERSIDE, BOTH US VETS. UM. THE
CSS. OUR PROGRAM IS MODELED AS
UM, AS KIND OF IT'S A STAFFING
MODEL. UH SO BASICALLY LOOKING
AT THE NEEDS OF OLDER VETERANS
AND THOSE WITH HIGH ACUITY,
TALKING TALKING ABOUT LIKE, UM,
INCREASED SUPPORT WITH A DLS
SERVICE ASSISTANCE. UH GERIATRIC
SOCIAL WORK, OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS
AND ALLOWING SERVICE PROVIDERS
IN THE PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE
SETTING TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO
CAL VET TO GAIN THOSE STAFF
MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
THOSE SERVICES DIRECTLY. ONE OF
THE THINGS WITH V H H P IS THE
FUNDING ON THE SERVICE PROVISION
SIDE IS NOT INCLUDED. SO WITH UH
. WITH THE SSR PROVIDES AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THOSE
FOLKS. UM, BECAUSE YEAH. UM FOR
THOSE FOLKS TO, UH TO BRING ON
MORE MORE STAFFING TO SUPPORT
THOSE VETERANS SO CURRENTLY
ENROLLED WITHIN THE SSR. WE'RE
AT 200. WE'RE JUST THROUGH
QUARTER, ONE OF IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE PROGRAM, AND I'M MORE
THAN HAPPY TO SHARE THE
QUARTERLY REPORT, WHICH WAS JUST
RELEASED WITH THE COMMITTEE AND
AN ONGOING AS THE PROGRAM
DEVELOPS. UM, I THINK. YOU KNOW
WHEN WE LOOK AT PROGRAMS LIKE
HUD VASH, UM, WHICH ARE YOU
KNOW, KIND OF THE WHEN WE LOOK
AT MARY NG OF VOUCHER WITH
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE AS BEING A MODEL. UM
YOU KNOW, THE SSR ALLOWS FOR
AWAY FOR VETERANS WHO ARE
INELIGIBLE FOR HUD, VASH OR AH,
YOU KNOW, SITES THAT HAVE.
ISSUES WITH GETTING ADEQUATE
CARE FROM THEIR LOCAL V, A
MEDICAL CENTER DUE TO BANDWIDTH
ISSUES WITH CASEWORKERS AT HUD,
VASH AND WHAT HAVE YOU SO IT
ALLOWS FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY
SO WITH LOOKING AT THE FUTURE UH
, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING
THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO SHOW WITH.
THE SSR IS PARTICULARLY FOR
THOSE VETERANS WHO ARE
INELIGIBLE AND IN AREAS OF THE
STATE WHERE, UM, THAT COULD
REALLY BENEFIT FROM INCREASED
BANDWIDTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND SO IS THAT KIND OF, UM, HOW
YOU'RE MEASURING SUCCESS OR ARE
THERE AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE ANY TOP LINE KIND OF
RESULTS FROM THE REPORT. THAT'S
JUST COME OUT. WE'RE BEING IN
QUARTER ONE. YOU KNOW, IT'S
STILL ESTABLISHING BASELINE BUT
LOOKING AT HABITABILITY OVERALL
MOOD UM, IDENTIFYING ISSUES SUCH
AS UH, HOARDING AGAINST SUPPORT
WITH A DLS AND LOOKING AT THE
DIFFERENCES THAT UM HAVING
ADDITIONAL STAFF ON SITE MAKE.
THAT'S THE GOAL OVER TIME AND
BEING ABLE TO SHOW THAT THESE
VETERANS WHO, YOU KNOW, UM
PRESENT OFTENTIMES. UH MORE
COMPLICATED CONDITIONS AS THEY
AGE. UM WITH THAT WITH THOSE,
UM, WITH THAT SUPPORT SO THEY
COULD STAY STABLE HOUSE.
WONDERFUL YEAH, WE WOULD LOVE TO
GET A COPY OF THAT REPORT SHARED
WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT. UM AND I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY,
SHARING IMPORTANT INFORMATION
WITH US WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM
AND WE'LL WE'LL LET YOU GO AND
ASK THE NEXT PANEL TO COME ON
UP. UM SO IF I CAN INTRODUCE THE
SECOND PANEL. AH, AS I
MENTIONED, WE HOPE TO HAVE A
THIRD PANELIST, UNFORTUNATELY,
CAME DOWN WITH ILLNESS AND WAS
NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY. UM
BUT SO OUR SECOND PANEL CONSISTS
OF STEVE PECK. WHO IS THE
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF US VETS,
AND DONNA DEUTCHMAN, WHO WAS THE
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOMES FOR
FAMILIES, AND, UH. WHOEVER SITS
DOWN FIRST GETS TO GO FIRST,
RIGHT? SO, LADIES FIRST LADIES
FIRST. OKAY WE'LL GIVE DONNA THE
HONOR OF GETTING STARTED. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE,
DONNA. YEP. THERE YOU GO. THANK
YOU FOR INVITING ME AND THANK
THE COMMITTEE FOR PUTTING THIS
ON. I'M DONNA DEUTCHMAN WITH
HOMES FOR FAMILIES AND WE BUILD
VETERAN ENRICHED NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHICH ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
FOR VERY LOW AND LOW INCOME
VETERANS, WHICH INCLUDE THE
HOMELESS. UM FORMERLY HOMELESS
ONCE THEY MOVE IN, AND I WANT TO
THANK THE THREE PEOPLE WHO WERE
UP HERE BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO
THAT. WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP OF
CAL VET CAL HOME AND, UM LHASA,
PARTICULARLY THROUGH KATHERINE
BARGOR. SO UM, THEY WE ARE
PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY FUNDED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
REALLY WANT TO IMPRESS UPON THE
COMMITTEE. IS THAT IT IS
POSSIBLE TO BUILD HOMES FOR LOW
INCOME AND FORMERLY HOMELESS
PEOPLE. AT A COST ADD OR LOWER
THAN SOME MULTI FAMILY HOUSING.
UM, IT DOES TAKE LAND. WHICH IS
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES ARE
CONCEPT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO GRASP. IS THAT WE NEED TO
BUILD HOMES WHERE VETERANS LIVE
TOGETHER IN A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND
THAT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE DO
NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
SERVICES ARE CRITICAL FOR
VETERANS TO SUCCEED. AND THEY
HAVE TO INCLUDE SELF SUFFICIENCY
, TRAINING, FINANCIAL LITERACY,
TRAINING AND TRAUMA, INFORMED
CARE. UM THEY HAVE TO BEGIN
BEFORE THE VETERANS MOVE IN
TOGETHER AND BECAUSE THEY BEGIN
BEFORE THE VETERANS MOVE IN
TOGETHER, I CAN ANSWER ONE OF
THE QUESTIONS YOU HAD IN THIS
LAST ROUND. WE HAVE 20% WOMEN.
WHICH IS HIGH ABOVE THE AVERAGE
NUMBER OF PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN
THE MILITARY. 80% OR BIPAC. AH
OVER 67% ARE LEGALLY DISABLED.
MANY MORE HAVE PTSD AND HEARING
DISABILITIES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN
IDENTIFIED LEGALLY. AND 12% OR
LGBT. Q. PLUS. SO OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE HIGHLY DIVERSE
AND HIGHLY LOVING OF EACH OTHER
BECAUSE THEY'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW
EACH OTHER VERY WELL BEFORE THEY
MOVED IN WHILE THEIR HOMES ARE
BEING BUILT. OUR HOMES ARE ALSO
SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO PROMOTE
HEALTHY AGING. AND AGING IN
PLACE BECAUSE OUR FAMILIES LIVE
THERE AND I HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO
HAVE 0% FOR CLOSURES. THE KEY IS
TO MAKE THE HOMES AT OR LESS
THAN THE COST OF A ONE BEDROOM
HOME IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT OR
LESS THAN 30% OF THE VETERANS
INCOME. WHICH IS REALLY
CRITICAL. AH, UM. THEY ARE
SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR DISABLED
PEOPLE AS WELL AS FOR TYPICAL
VETERAN NEEDS, SUCH AS ALMOST
EVERY VETERAN HAS LIKE IN BACK
PAIN BECAUSE OF THE PACKS THAT
THEY CARRY. UM SUCH AS HEARING
ISSUES. AND SUCH AS CERTAIN PTSD
ISSUES, SO THE SHOWERS AND THE
BATHROOMS ETCETERA ARE SPECIALLY
DESIGNED WITH SPECIAL LIGHTING.
SPECIAL TOWN SCIENCE SOUND
ATTENUATION AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. UM WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING
OR OUTCOMES FOR OVER 17 YEARS
USING A, UM, SURVEY METHOD
DESIGNED BY SEA SON, CAL STATE
NORTHRIDGE. AND THE OUTCOMES
HAVE BEEN REALLY SIGNIFICANT IN
TERMS OF, UM THE VETERANS REALLY
MOVING UP THE ECONOMIC LADDER IF
THEY ARE NOT ON FIXED INCOMES.
SOME OF THE VETERANS, OF COURSE,
ARE FULLY DISABLED IN ARE ON
FIXED INCOMES. AH IN TERMS OF
THEIR CHILDREN, GRADUATING HIGH
SCHOOL AND OTHER PARAMETERS,
WHICH I HAVE SUBMITTED A REPORT
YOU HAVE THAT? UM I THINK THAT.
FOR OUR HOMELESS VETERANS. I
THINK THAT, UM THERE WAS A
REALLY IMPORTANT POINT MADE BY
ROBERTO HERRERA. IN THE LAST
SESSION, WHICH IS THERE ARE THE
UNHAPPY HOUSED HOMELESS. AND
THEN THERE ARE THE SHELTERED
HOMELESS. WE HAVE HAD VETERANS
COME FROM LIVING A FAMILY OF
FOUR IN ONE BEDROOM, MANY LIVING
IN GARAGES. MANY COUCHSURFING.
AND THEY'RE OFTEN NOT COUNTED IN
THE HOMELESS SURVEYS AND THAT
DOES STILL CONCERNED ME WHEN
WE'RE COUNTING OUR VETERAN
HOMELESS BECAUSE MORE AND MORE
VETERANS ARE COMING BACK. AND I
WONDER IF WE'RE COUNTING ALL OF
THEM. BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF
THEM COME THROUGH US. AND COME
TO US TO TRY TO GET HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY. SO THAT'S JUST ONE
THING THAT I DO WORRY ABOUT. UM
SO FAR TO DATE WE'VE BUILT OVER
408 OF THESE HOMES. THEY ARE
BUILT IN COMMUNITIES. UM 78 OF
THEM ARE HERE. IN SANTA CLARA TO
WHERE WE'RE SITTING TODAY. WE'RE
BUILDING 56 IN PALMDALE, AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO NORTH
HOLLYWOOD, WHICH WE'RE CURRENTLY
DEVELOPING, AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT IT IS
POSSIBLE. TO MOVE FROM
HOMELESSNESS INTO A HOME. THANK
YOU AND HOME OWNERSHIP. YEAH.
ABSOLUTELY THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM
AND MR PECK FROM US VETS. GOOD
AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME. UM MY NAME IS STEVE PECK.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF US
VETS. UM I'M A VIETNAM VETERAN.
I WAS THERE WITH THE MARINE
CORPS WITH THE SHORT VERSION OF
WHAT I'M DOING WHAT I'M DOING
TODAY. I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF
THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
VETERANS SERVICE AGENCIES, WHICH
IS SIX AGENCIES UP AND DOWN THE
STATE FROM EUREKA TO SAN DIEGO,
PROVIDING, UH, HOUSING AND
SERVICES TO HOMELESS AND AT RISK
VETERANS. UH WE HAVE DEVELOPED A
REPORT WHICH IS ACTUALLY GOING
TO BE RELEASED LATER TODAY.
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE SITUATION
FOR CALIFORNIA'S VETERANS. AND
WE FOCUSED ON A FEW AREAS AND
THESE ARE AREAS I THINK ARE
COMMON TO ALL PROVIDERS IN
CALIFORNIA. WE'RE FOCUSING ON
AGING VETERANS. WE KNOW THAT,
UH, AGING VETERAN POPULATION IS
INCREASING, AND IT IS THE
FASTEST GROWING UH, POPULATION
AMONG THE HOMELESS, AGING
VETERANS ARE VULNERABLE, THEIR
FRAIL THEY'RE ISOLATED. UH AND
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THEM
INTO HOUSING, AND WE CREATED A
PROJECT, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT A
LITTLE BIT LATER. WHEN I TALK
ABOUT THE WEST L A V A UM, WE'VE
BEEN AH, INSTRUMENTAL IN
INITIATING THE SSR PROGRAM. ONE
OF OUR SITUATION SEES OR SUPPLY
SHARES INITIATED THAT PROGRAM.
AH AND AS BEEN SAID, BEFORE WE
HAVE TWO OF THOSE GRANTS IN LOS
ANGELES AND RIVERSIDE. AH AND WE
HOPE THAT THAT THREE YEAR STUDY
ROLE DEMONSTRATE THE EFFICACY OF
PROVIDING THOSE ADDITIONAL
SERVICES TO AGING VETERANS,
WHICH WILL KEEP THEM IN THEIR
HOUSING. AH THE CONCEPT IS TO
IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE,
MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN STAY
IN THAT PERMANENT HOUSING AND
NOT HAVE TO GO INTO ONE OF THE
VETERANS, HOMES OR BOARD AND
CARE. SO WE HOPE THAT THAT
ADDITIONAL STAFF, UH, PROVIDED
TO THOSE VETERANS WILL PROVE
THAT OUT OVER THE THREE YEARS.
WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON SUICIDE
AND MENTAL HEALTH. UH BUT THERE
HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE
NUMBER OF VETERANS AND MILITARY
WHO ARE GIVING SUICIDE ON A
DAILY BASIS. UM AND THE RATE OF
VETERAN SUICIDE IS HIGHER THAN
THE CIVILIAN RATE AND THE RATE
OF SUICIDE AMONG WOMEN VETERANS
IS EVEN HIGHER THAN THAT. SO IT
IS CRITICAL THAT WE FIND WAYS TO
REACH OUT TO THOSE VETERANS,
MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT GOING TO
THE VIA, IN PARTICULAR THE WOMEN
AS AS MENTIONED BEFORE, IF THERE
IS A IF A WOMAN WHO HAS SUFFERED
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA WALKS
INTO A WAITING ROOM WITH 30
VETERANS AND 30 MALE VETERANS.
SHE'S GOING TO BE VERY
DISCOMFORTED. SO MANY OF THEM
ARE NOT GOING TO THE V. A SO WE
HAVE CREATED A WEB PORTAL. WOMEN
DEATHS ON POINT TO REACH OUT TO
THEM. IT IS, UM HEADQUARTERED AT
PATRIOTIC HALL IN DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES, WHERE ARE OTHER
HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE
BUT IT REACHES OUT. THERE'S A
CHAT ROOM. THERE'S THIS. UH AH,
THERE'S A SELF ASSESSMENT TOOL
ON THERE. THERE'S AN 800 NUMBER
TO CALL THEY CAN RECEIVE
TELEHEALTH OR COME INTO PEDRO
CALL FOR COUNSELING, OR WE CAN
REFER THEM TO OTHER AGENCIES
THAT WOULD PROVIDE THAT. MENTAL
HEALTH COUNSELING. UM THE, UH
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
CALIFORNIA VETERANS HEALTH
INITIATIVE. AH WITH THE GOVERNOR
SIGNED, WHICH WILL DEVOTE $50
MILLION TO CALIFORNIA'S VETERANS
FOR THE PROVISION OF MENTAL
HEALTH IS A DESIGN TEAM IS
WORKING NOW TO DESIGN THAT
PROGRAM. AND THEN OUR FPS WILL
GO OUT TO A VARIETY TO SERVICE
PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE SO
THAT THEY CAN INCREASE THE
MENTAL THEIR CAPABILITY TO
PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH TO
VETERANS WERE ALSO ALONG WITH
OTHER AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA. AH
A RECIPIENT OF THE STAFF
SERGEANT PARKER GORDON FOX
SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO ADD STAFF THERE SO
THAT STAFF WILL WORK WITH THE
STAFF FROM THE CALIFORNIA
BALANCE HEALTH INITIATIVE, AND L
. A COUNTY HAS PROVIDED A IS
DOING SOME ASSESSMENT ON SUICIDE
, SUICIDE AND SUICIDALITY TRYING
TO DETERMINE IF THEY CAN
DETERMINE SOME OF THE FACTORS
THAT LEAD VETERANS TO TAKE THEIR
OWN LIVES. UM WHO WERE BUT AS I
MENTIONED WOMEN BETS ON POINT
THIS WEB PORTAL BECAUSE WOMEN
VETERANS REALLY HAVE A HIGHER
RATE OF SUICIDE THAN THEIR
CIVILIAN COUNTERPARTS. AND
FINALLY, WE'RE FOCUSING ON
HOUSING. QUITE A LOT OF TALK
TODAY ABOUT HOW THE HOUSING AH,
WE ARE ENDORSER OF PROP ONE, THE
BOTH THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
ACTIVE AND THE NEW HOUSING BOND,
AND THAT NEWS HOUSING BOND WILL
REPLACE THE FUNDING THAT IS NOW
EXPIRING FROM THE VHP. SO WE'RE
VERY, UH. SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. WE
KNOW THAT WITH THE VHP FUNDING,
I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT 5000
UNITS THAT HAVE EITHER BEEN
BUILT OR FUNDING, SO IT'S BEEN
HUGELY HELPFUL IN COMMUNITIES.
IT HELPS US, UH, ACCESS FUNDING
AND THE CHALLENGE IS ALWAYS THE
SERVICES PART. BUT AS AN
EXPERIENCED SERVICE PROVIDER,
WE'VE BEEN, UH, FAIRLY ADEPT AT
PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT ARE
NECESSARY. AH THE OUR BIGGEST
PROJECT IS WEST L A V A, UH
WHICH IS, UH, OUR WERE CHARGED
WITH PROVIDING BUILDING 1200
UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING FOR VETERANS. BY FAR THE
LARGEST HOMELESS PROGRAM IN THE
COUNTRY. FOR VETERANS. WE HAVE
THE US FATS RUNS THE TWO LARGEST
PROGRAMS IN LONG BEACH AND LOS
ANGELES, AND THIS IS LARGER THAN
BOTH OF THEM PUT TOGETHER, SO
IT'S BEEN QUITE A CHALLENGE, AND
IT IS ON FEDERAL LAND. WE WERE
GIVEN THE LAND BUT NOT THE
MONEY. SO UM, BUT WE'RE GETTING
THERE SO OF THE 1200 UNITS. THUS
FAR 240 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND
ARE OCCUPIED AT THIS POINT. THE
FIRST BUILDING WAS FOR A SENIOR
VETERANS. AND IT HAD A VARIETY
OF FUNDING SOURCES SO WE CAN
TALK ABOUT THE COMPLICATIONS
WITH THAT. AND ANOTHER 370, I
THINK ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR
FULLY FUNDED, SO WE'LL BE OVER
600 UNITS BY THE END OF NEXT
YEAR. UM THE COMPLICATIONS
THERE. UM SOME SOMEWHAT MIRROR
THE COMPLICATIONS WITH FUNDING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE IN THE
BROADER COMMUNITY. THERE WILL BE
MULTIPLE SOURCES OF FUNDING. UH
AND OFTENTIMES EACH OF THOSE
FUNDINGS HAVE DIFFERENT CRITERIA
FOR VETERANS. SO OUR BUILDING,
207 WAS AH, ALL OF THEM WERE 30%
HAD TO BE UNDER 30% AM I ALL
THOSE VETERANS 26 OF THOSE UNITS
ARE VERY SERIOUSLY MENTALLY. L
AH AND ALL ALL THOSE VETERANS
HAD TO BE 62 OR OLDER. SO THAT'S
WHERE THE DISCUSSION BEGAN ABOUT
THE SORT OF CONNECTED DISABILITY
THAT YOU THAT YOU MENTIONED
BEFORE IT WOULD MAKE COMPLETE
SENSE FOR A SERVICE DISABLED
VETERAN TO LIVE AT THE V A AND
HAVE READY ACCESS TO THE
HOSPITAL. AH BUT A VETERAN WHO
IS 100% SORT OF CONNECTED. IS
INELIGIBLE FOR 30% UNIT. SO
THAT'S THAT WAS KIND OF THE
BEGINNING OF THAT DISCUSSION.
NOW WE WERE WE WORKED REALLY
HARD AT IT. WE HAD EIGHT OR 10
PEOPLE WORKING ON IT, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF 24 7 AND WERE ABLE TO
FILL THAT BUILDING IN FOUR
MONTHS. BUT IT WAS A CONCERN,
AND IN ACTUALITY, WE GAVE BACK A
FEW OF THE 30% UNITS TO THE
CITY, THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
UM AHH. FUNDING WAS PART OF THAT
THAT FUNDING STACK. WE GAVE BACK
SOME OF THAT MONEY IN ORDER TO
BRING IN VETERANS WHO WERE 100%
SERVICE DISABLED. SO THAT'S THE
DILEMMA WE ALL FACE IS THAT THE
LOW INCOME TAX CREDITS REALLY
AWARD TO THE TO THE, UH, THE
LOWEST INCOME YOUR YOU HAVE GOT
MORE POINTS IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE
SERVING THE LOWEST INCOME BUT
THEN YOU'RE IN THE DILEMMA OF
NOT BEING ABLE TO SERVE IN THE
VETERAN'S CASE, NOT BEING ABLE
TO SERVE THOSE 100% DISABLED
VETERANS. SO UH, I THINK THAT IS
A IT IS A HARD CHALLENGE HAD I
WAS ASKED A WHILE BACK TO, UH
THAT THAT SERVICE CONNECTED
FUNDING WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
THEIR INCOME, BUT THEY REFUSED
TO DO THAT. SO THERE ARE PEOPLE
WORKING ON THAT I KNOW,
INCLUDING THE NATIONAL COALITION
FOR ALMOST VETERANS AND OTHER
ADVOCATES ARE WORKING ON THAT,
BECAUSE IT IT REALLY MAKES NO
SENSE THAT IS SORT OF A DISABLED
VETERAN WHO HAS THE MOST NEED
FOR OF A HOSPITAL CANNOT LOCATE
THEMSELVES ON THE ON THE VIA
CAMPUS. UM I COULD GO ON AND SO
BUT PLEASE ASK ANY QUESTIONS?
YES ON THAT ON THAT POINT, DO
YOU FIND SO A VETERAN WHO'S 100%
DISABLED. WILL THEY FALL WITHIN
THE 50? OF AM I OR THEY'LL BE
OVER THAT TOO SOMETIMES, IF A
ALSO HAVE A DISABILITY INCOME
THAT IT'LL PUT HIM UP. IT'S 60.
OKAY SO WE'RE REQUESTING THAT
VETERANS UP TO 60% THAT THAT
COMPENSATIONS TO ITS? THERE'S A
DISTINCTION THAT'S A
COMPENSATION FOR THEIR
DISABILITY. IT IS NOT AN INCOME
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE HUD
TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION. OKAY?
IF YOU'RE 100% TO SABLE, DID YOU
ORDER DRAMATICALLY QUALIFY FOR
SOCIAL SECURITY, SO THE TWO
ADDED TOGETHER ARE JUST ABOUT
4000 A MONTH. THANK YOU. YOUR
LIFE IS INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED
BY BEING 100% DISABLED AND HAS
AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF EXPENSES
ATTACHED TO IT, RIGHT? YEAH
WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED MHM.
AND YOU. SO YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT SOME OF THE FUNNY
CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE
EXPERIENCING. ARE YOU JUST SO I
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
ARE YOU BASICALLY SAYING THAT
YOU ARE APPLYING FOR FUNDING AND
BUILDING A PATCHWORK OF UNITS TO
MEET SPECIFIC FUNDING
REQUIREMENTS. SO YOU'RE DOING
THIS FUNDING FOR PEOPLE IN THIS
AGE GROUP ARE MEETING A CERTAIN
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR
YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING ELSE?
INSTANCE? UH, FIRST OF ALL YOU
HAVE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING THE
REALITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S IS THAT IN MOST CASES AS
YOU HAVE TO CREATE THIS FUNDING
STACK, WHICH IS LOW INCOME TAX
CREDITS, IT MIGHT BE. AHH IT
MIGHT BE DMH BY VHP PRIVATE
FUNDING. I MEAN, WE THE FUNDING
STACK FOR OUR NEXT BUILDING. I
THINK IT'S 10 DIFFERENT FUNDING
SOURCES. SO IT GETS COMPLICATED.
AND THEN IF IN THAT BUILDING
SEVEN EXAMPLE THAT I GAVE AH,
THE DMH FUNDING HAS A CERTAIN
REQUIREMENT. THEY HAVE TO BE
SERIOUSLY MENTALLY ILL. SO THAT
WAS 26 MUST MUST HAVE SME AND BE
62 AND OLDER AND HAVE LESS THAN
30% INCOME. SO IT DOES MAKE IT
COMPLICATED AND AH, IT
ADDITIONALLY, THE VETERAN HAS TO
KIND OF GET TO CONTACT EACH OF
THOSE SITES. SO WE'RE CONTACTING
THE CITY OR CONTACTING DMH AND
WE'RE CONTACTING THE VIA AND
WE'RE AND WE'RE COMPLYING WITH
EVERYTHING THAT LIKE TECH
REQUIRES SO IT IT INCREASES THE
LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN THE
CONNECTION WITH THE VETERAN AND
BEING ABLE TO GIVE THAT VETERAN
UNIT I AM. TOLD THAT THERE WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE A SOMEONE FROM
THE FEDS TO COME TO L. A TO TRY
TO STREAMLINE THAT I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT'S HAPPENING OR NOT, BUT
IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO IT AS I SAID, WE HAD A TEAM
OF EIGHT OR 10 WORKING ON THAT
ON ON EVERY ON EVERY SINGLE
VETERAN THAT CAME IN AH TO
REALLY TRY TO SPEED ON THAT TO
SPEED UP THAT PROCESS. AND I DO
UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW, SOME OF
THE CHALLENGES ARE AROUND
FEDERAL FUNDING AT THIS STATE
LEVEL. HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN
THE SUPERNOVA PROCESS? AND HOW
IS THAT EXPERIENCE CHANGED
THINGS FOR YOU? THIS NEWS OVER
AND OVER, UM THERE WAS SUPPOSED
TO STREAMLINE INSTEAD OF HAVING
TO GO TO, YOU KNOW MULTIPLE
DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS AND
TIMELINES AND DEADLINES AND
REQUIREMENTS STREAMLINED INTO
ONE APPLICATION. I'M NOT SURE
THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT YET. UM
I'D HAVE TO ASK. SO THIS HMM. WE
HAVE JUST BEEN AWARDED THE LIGHT
TECH ON THE ON OUR NEXT
BUILDING, AND I WAS A MONTH OR
SO AGO, SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE
DID THIS SUPERNOVA OR NOT, OKAY,
POSSIBLY AND HOW ABOUT YOU? HAVE
YOU GONE THROUGH THE YES, WE
WERE JUST LAST MONDAY AWARDED A
CAL HOME WONDERFUL FOR OUR NEXT
NORTH HOLLYWOOD PROJECT. UM I
BELIEVE IN STACY'S WITH ME. THE
HOMEOWNERSHIP PIECE. UM, AND IT
WAS PART OF THE SUPERNOVA,
RIGHT? IT IS CALLED. HOME
OWNERSHIP, BUT THE PROCESS WAS
HOW WAS IT BECAUSE THIS IS MY
GRANT WRITER THAT I KEEP TURNING
TO BE THE SAME. YOU CAN COME ON
UP. FINE THANK YOU. IT WAS THE
SAME PROCESS THAT AS IN THE
PAST, AND IT'S I DON'T FIND IT.
GREAT. OKAY? OKAY, CURIOUS. AND,
UM. AND IN TERMS OF KIND OF WHAT
THE HOMELESSNESS AND SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING LANDSCAPE WAS LIKE
BEFORE HUD, VASH AND VÆ HEBB.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
HOW THAT'S CHANGED. CERTAINLY UM
, VASH VOUCHERS DO A COUPLE OF
THINGS ASIDE FROM PROVIDING
FUNDING FOR THE SERVICES. UM
FUNDERS LIKE TO SEE THAT YOU
HAVE ASH DOUBTERS. IT UH, HELPS
ASSURE THEM THAT THE MORTGAGE
WILL BE PAID. UM AND YOU'RE AND
YOU'RE SO ALL THOSE FUNDING
SOURCES TOGETHER REALLY ARE
AIDED BY THE FACT THAT YOU GET
CASH VOUCHERS, SO WE HAVE BEEN
AH, LUCKY OR OR PERSISTENT OR
BOTH. WITH L, A COUNTY. THEY
HAVE AWARDED FASH VOUCHERS TO
ALL OF THE 240 UNITS. THAT WE
BUILT THUS FAR AND, ADDITIONALLY
TO THE FIVE ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS
THAT WE'RE BUILDING NOW, SO AT
THE MOMENT, WE'RE GETTING VASH
VOUCHERS FOR ALL THOSE UNITS,
WHICH CERTAINLY MAKES OUR
PUTTING THAT FUNDING STACKED
TOGETHER A LITTLE EASIER. WE'RE
GOING TO GO BACK TO THEM. THIS
WEEK AS WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT
FUNDING FOR PHASE TWO FOR THE
ADDITIONAL 600 UNITS. AND WHAT
WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT. BUT THERE'S THERE HAS
BEEN A DECLINE IN VETERAN
HOMELESSNESS. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
ARE THE SUCCESS IS THAT WE CAN
ATTRIBUTE THAT TO. IT IS BOTH A
HOUSING AND THE SERVICES
TOGETHER. WE HAD PATRIOTIC CAR
WE'VE CREATED A VETERANS. ONE
STOP SERVICE CENTER, PROVIDING
HOMELESS PREVENTION. THAT'S
EMPLOYMENT, MENTAL HEALTH, UM AS
A USING SSV F FUNDS, UH, FOR
VETERANS, SO THERE ARE MANY,
MANY MORE RESOURCES NOW.
CERTAINLY THEN THERE WERE AND
THERE HAS BEEN AN EMPHASIS ON
BUILDING PERMANENT HOUSING. THAT
WERE READILY GETTING BASHED
VOUCHERS FOR ALL OF THE UNITS
THAT WERE BUILDING AT WEST LA IS
SIGNIFICANT. AH AND THAT THAT
WASN'T NECESSARILY THE CASE. A
WHILE BACK, AND THE VHP FUNDS
HAVE HELPED US IN A COUPLE OF
PLACES, RIVERSIDE AND WEST L A.
SO HAVING THOSE, UH, FUNDING. UM
VEHICLES AVAILABLE REALLY MAKES
IT A LOT EASIER. BUT THIS THE
SERVICES ARE CRITICAL AND THE
VAST VOUCHERS YOU PROBABLY KNOW
PROVIDE A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CASE
MANAGEMENT. SO US VETS ALWAYS
AUGMENTS THAT WE GO OUT AND
RAISE MONEY TO AUGMENT THOSE
SERVICES BECAUSE THE VETERANS
THAT WERE SERVING WE KNOW ARE
VULNERABLE, HAVE MANY DIFFERENT
BELT VULNERABILITIES AND OFTEN A
SINGLE CASE MANAGER FOR 30 OR
MORE VETERANS SIMPLY ISN'T
ENOUGH TO STABILIZE THAT
POPULATION, SO WE'RE GETTING
RAISED ADDITIONAL FUNDING. AND
WHAT? MISS DEUTCHMAN? CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT LED
YOU TO THIS VETERAN NEIGHBORHOOD
MODEL? ABSOLUTELY AND I'D LIKE
TO ADDRESS THE LAST QUESTION,
TOO. I THINK, IN ADDITION TO
WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT VETERAN
HALL, I THINK THE SSV F THE WORK
THAT CALVET IS DOING IN THE
COMMUNITY AT AT STAND DOWNS. I
THINK THE VETERANS STAND DOWNS
HAVE BEEN AMAZING THE JOB FAIRS
THAT HAVE BEEN IN ALMOST EVERY
COMMUNITY. HAVE BEEN AN
ESSENTIAL PART. I THINK THE
CALVET SERVICES HAVE BEEN REALLY
PUMPED UP IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
AND VERY VISUAL. TO THE VETERANS
AT LARGE, AND I THINK THAT'S A
HUGE HELP. UM WHAT LED US TO
BUILD THESE VETERAN COMMUNITIES
IS THE FACT THAT MORE AND MORE
WE WERE SEEING VETERANS COMING
HOME AND. INCREDIBLY
DISHEARTENED. BY THE FACT THAT
THEY COULD NOT FIND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. THEY COULDN'T FIND
FAMILY HOUSING, AND THAT WAS THE
KEY. THEY HAD BEEN LIVING ON
BASES. UM WITH THEIR SPOUSE. AND
THEIR CHILDREN. THEY WERE
DEPLOYED FOR INCREDIBLY LONG
PERIODS OF TIME. AND WHEN THEY
CAME BACK THEY HAD NO CHANGE. NO
CREDIT HISTORY TO SPEAK OF UM,
THEY HADN'T LIVED IN AN
APARTMENT OR A HOME. AND THEY
COULDN'T USE ANY BACKGROUND
HISTORY TO GET INTO AN APARTMENT
OR HOME. THEY NEEDED A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY. THAT WOULD ALLOW
THEM IN THEIR SPECIFIC CONDITION
THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATION. TO
BUILD EQUITY. AND TO DO SO IN A
SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY
COULD LEARN THE SKILLS THAT THEY
STILL DIDN'T HAVE. EVEN THOUGH
THEY HAD ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE
LOYALTY, THE INCREDIBLE SKILLS
THAT THEY LEARNED IN THE
MILITARY THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE
SELF SERVICE EFFICIENCY SKILLS
THAT WE ALL LEARNED DURING OUR
TWENTIES WHEN THEY WERE
DEPLOYED. AND THEY NEEDED TO
LEARN THOSE SKILLS IN A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTED BY EACH
OTHER. AND WE THOUGHT, WHAT IF
WE FLIP THINGS ON OUR ON THEIR
HEAD AND PROVIDE PERMANENT
HOUSING WITH TRANSITIONAL
SERVICES? SO THAT THESE VETERANS
COULD RECEIVE THE SERVICES FOR
456 YEARS. STARTING BEFORE A
YEAR BEFORE THEY MOVE INTO THEIR
HOME. AND RECEIVED THE HOME THAT
COSTS ABOUT THE SAME AS ONE
BEDROOM APARTMENT RAISED THE
MATTER OF HOMELESSNESS RAISED
THEM OUT OF SUBSTANDARD
APARTMENTS WHERE THEY'RE ALL
LIVING IN A IN A STUDIO
APARTMENT WITH THEIR FAMILY AND
GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO
FALL OFF THE PRECIPICE THAT
THEY'RE ON BECAUSE MOST OF THEM
ARE ON THE PRESS OFFICE OF
BECOMING HOMELESS. IF THEY'RE
NOT ALREADY AND GIVE THEM THE
SKILLS THEY NEED AND THE HOPE
THEY NEED TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS
AND RAISE THEMSELVES UP
ECONOMICALLY. AND THE BEST THING
ABOUT THIS IS IF THEY INCREASE
THEIR INCOME, THEY WILL NOT LOSE
THEIR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AS YOU
DO IN SOMETHING LIKE SECTION
EIGHT. THEY MAINTAIN THEIR
MORTGAGE, AND THEY CAN USE THAT
INCREASED INCOME TO BUILD THEIR
FAMILY. AND WHAT WE FOUND IS
MANY OF THEM GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
THEY INCREASE THEIR INCOME IN
FACT, THOSE THAT ARE NOT ON A
FIXED INCOME HAVE BEEN FOUND TO
RAISE THEIR INCOME IN EVERY 24
MONTHS BY ABOUT 38. THEIR
MARRIAGES STAY SOLID. THEY GO
BACK TO SCHOOL. THEIR KIDS
GRADUATE 99% GRADUATE HIGH
SCHOOL AND THEY GO TO COLLEGE
100% OF THE FAMILIES. OF COURSE,
ALL THE VETERANS HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE. BUT 100% OF THE
FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS WE
MOVE THESE VETERANS OUT OF
POVERTY AND INTO THE MIDDLE
CLASS. AND THESE ARE LOW AND
VERY LOW INCOME VETERANS THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, MANY OF
WHOM COME OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
ONE OF OUR VETERANS JUST SPOKE
THE OTHER NIGHT AT A MILITARY
BALL, AND HE HAD BEEN FOUND BY
BEEF BEEF PAN, WHICH IS THE
VETERAN PURE ACCESS NETWORK AS A
HOMELESS VETERAN, STARTED WITH V
PAN, AND NOW HE'S GOING INTO A
HOUSE IN DECEMBER. THAT'S
PHENOMENAL. AND I KNOW WE HAVE
SOME VPN FOLKS HERE IN THE ROOM
TODAY TO DOING GREAT WORK. UM I,
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE MODEL THAT
YOU ALL HAVE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
TOUR THE ONE THE LOCATION THE
COMMUNITY HERE IN SANTA CLARITA
AND THEN ALSO AS PART OF A BUILD
OUT IN THE ANTELOPE VALLEY AND,
YOU KNOW, SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE
RESIDENTS, UM, ABOUT HOW IT HAD
REALLY CHANGED THEIR LIVES AND
IMPACT OF THEIR LIVES AND
REALLY, YOU KNOW, WAS JUST A
BEAUTIFUL SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNEW EACH
OTHER'S NEIGHBORS AND SUPPORTED
EACH OTHER. UM AND YOU KNOW, AND
IT WAS REALLY EVIDENT THAT THE
WORK THAT YOU HAD DONE YOU KNOW
THAT YEAR LEADING UP TO MOVING
IN, REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE
FOR FOLKS. UM I WONDER IF YOU
YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF
IF THERE'S KIND OF A CERTAIN
TYPE OF VETERANS OR VETERANS IN
A CERTAIN SITUATION, WHO ARE, UM
, MORE LIKELY TO BE A FIT FOR
THIS OR MORE LIKELY TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THIS KIND OF A
MODEL? I THINK OUR VETERANS ARE
VERY DIVERSE. I REALLY DO. I
THINK THAT, UM. WE HAVE FULLY
DISABLED VETERANS. WE HAVE EVERY
TYPE OF SERVICE. WE HAVE SINGLE
PARENTS. WE HAVE SINGLE VETERANS
, AND WE HAVE, UM WE IN PALMDALE
AND HERE WE'RE IN PALMDALE. WE
HAVE 10 HOMES FOR ELDERLY
VETERANS AND THE
INTERGENERATIONAL ASPECT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS WORKS BEAUTIFULLY.
SO I THINK THAT, UM THEY HAVE TO
BE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
SERVICES. I THINK THAT
DISTINGUISHES THEM. YEAH AND I
MEAN IN THE YOU KNOW THE SURVEY
THAT YOU ALL DO AND YOU KNOW,
TRACKING THE SUCCESSES OF THE
FAMILY'S REALLY SHOWS. YOU KNOW
THAT IT'S A IT'S A MODEL THAT'S
BEING SUCCESSFUL. DO YOU WHAT?
WHAT SOMETIMES, UM
HOMEOWNERSHIP. YOU KNOW, IT'S
NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL, AND
PEOPLE CAN GET INTO SITUATIONS
WHERE THEY BITE OFF MORE THAN
THEY CAN CHEW OR DIDN'T REALIZE
ALL THAT ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT
WE'RE GOING TO BE A PART OF IT.
UM HOW DO YOU THINK THIS MODEL
IS SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING PEOPLE
HOUSED AND BEING A PART OF
HOMELESSNESS? PREVENTION I GUESS
ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT WE
MAKE SURE THAT THE HOMES HAVE
SOLAR. WE BUILD THE COMMUNITIES,
UM, WITH AN EYE TOWARDS THE
COSTS. SO THE MATERIAL THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT POLICY. SO LET ME
TALK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. THE
MATERIALS WE USE ARE EXCELLENT.
SO WE LOOK AT MAINTENANCE LONG
TERM. WE DON'T USE INEXPENSIVE
MATERIALS. THEY WE MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE NOT CHEAP
COUNTERTOPS. FOR EXAMPLE, SO
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO
REPLACE THEM IN SEVEN YEARS. WE
USE 40 YEAR ROOFS. SO WE THINK
ABOUT THAT WE DON'T BUILD POOLS
BECAUSE POOLS HAVE HIGH COST
INSURANCE. WE DO HAVE
PLAYGROUNDS. UM BUT WE DON'T WE
EVEN LOOK AT FALL ZONES TO MAKE
SURE THE INSURANCE IS SMALL. I
ASK YOUR COLLEAGUES. TAKING
SYDOR ANY EFFORTS. TO DO
INCLUSIONARY HOUSING THAT
REQUIRES. THE HOUSE IS TO BE AS
LARGE AS THE MARKET RATE HOUSES.
BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING THREE
BEDROOM HOUSES, BUT WE'RE NOT
BUILDING 3000 OR 3500. FT HOUSES
WERE BUILDING 616 100, FT
HOUSES. WHEN THERE IS A POLICY
TO HAVE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING
THAT IS AS LARGE WHERE THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSES ARE AS LARGE
AS THE MARKET RATE HOUSES.
YOU'RE BUILDING A HOUSE THAT A
PERSON IS GOING TO NOT BE ABLE
TO MAINTAIN. IT'S EXACTLY WHAT
YOU JUST ASKED. SO YOU'RE MOVING
IN PERSON INTO THAT HOME? AND
CALLING IT AFFORDABLE WHEN
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN THAT HOME. AND IT IS
NOT GOING TO BE A SUCCESS. SO
EVEN IF THE BUILDER IS SAYING I
CAN'T BUILD A 3000 FT HOUSE AND
SELL IT FOR $250,000, SO I CAN'T
BUILD A 3500 THINK ABOUT THE
PERSON WHO'S MOVED INTO THAT
HOUSE. THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE
TO MAINTAIN IT. NEVER BE ABLE TO
HEAT IT NEVER BE ABLE TO AIR
CONDITION IT. WHAT SHOULD BE
HAPPENING WITH INCLUSIONARY
HOUSING IS THAT THE LOT SHOULD
BE SMALLER FOR THE AFFORDABLE
UNITS. AND SOMEBODY SHOULD BE
ABLE TO COME IN AND BUILD
SMALLER UNITS THAT ARE
AFFORDABLE OR TOWN HOUSES OR
SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. THANK
YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. AND DO YOU
YOU ALSO TRACK DEFAULT RATES AND
THE PROGRAM. WE HAVE 0% FOR
CLOSURE RATES. HOWEVER I WILL
SAY THIS THAT WE HAVE A VETERAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT IF
SOMEBODY HAS A SICK CHILD OR HAS
A IS ILL THEMSELVES LOSES A JOB.
WE WILL PROVIDE 1 TO 2 MONTHS
MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE ONE TIME IN
THE LIFESPAN OF THEIR MORTGAGE.
ONE TIME. OKAY? AND ONLY 1 TO 2
MONTHS. GREAT THAT'S GREAT. UM
THAT YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE THE
THING THAT REALLY MAKES A
DIFFERENCE, THOUGH. YOU KNOW
THAT THAT ONE TIME, UM AND. WHAT
I JUST WANT TO OPEN IT UP. I
DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING
ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO COVER
THAT WASN'T TOUCHED UPON OR
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. HERE'S
YOUR SHOT. I MEAN, YOU CAN CALL
MY OFFICE TO BUT, UH, SUPPORT A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT DONNA SAID
ONE WAS THAT CAL VET REALLY HAS
STEPPED UP. THERE ARE FUNDING
SOURCES AVAILABLE IN CALIFORNIA
THAT AREN'T AVAILABLE ANYWHERE
ELSE. AND WE ALWAYS MAKE THAT
POINT WHEN WE ADVOCATE BACK IN
D. C. THAT THE FEDS HAD MATCH
THE KIND OF FUNNY THAT'S COMING
OUT OF THE STATE. IT'S PRETTY
EXTRAORDINARY. UM AND ALSO, UH,
BUILDING COMMUNITY IS JUST
CRITICAL WHEN WE WERE TASKED
WITH BUILDING THOSE 1200 UNITS
AT WEST L A V A WE WERE TASKED
WITH BUILDING A COMMUNITY, NOT
JUST A BUNCH OF HOUSING, SO
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NUMBER OF
AMENITIES THERE. THERE'S GOING
TO BE, UH, A LOT OF SUPPORT
SERVICE AVAILABLE. THEY'RE BOTH
FOR VETERANS IN THE HOUSING AND
VETERANS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY,
SO WE'RE WE'LL BE PROVIDING
HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES.
BUT ALSO THERE'LL BE A
RESTAURANT, COFFEE SHOP, GROCERY
STORE CLEANERS SO THAT THIS IS
REALLY THEIR HOME AND THAT HOME
IS CREATED BY CREATING COMMUNITY
AND WE DO A NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT ARE LARGE SIZE TO BRING
VETERANS INTO THE SOLUTION. AH
WE HAVE RESIDENT COUNCILS. WE
HAVE TOWN HALLS. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE VETERANS ARE
CONTRIBUTING, UH, THEIR IDEAS ON
THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND
CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER. WE
KNOW THAT WHEN VETERANS BECOME
HOMELESS, AND EVERYONE ANYONE
BECOMES HOMELESS ISOLATION IS A
SIGNIFICANT ISSUES. SO WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF EVENTS TO BRING THEM
OUT OF THEIR HOUSING. THEY'LL BE
WALKING PAST BIKING PATHS. THE
METRO STATION IS BEING BUILT
RIGHT THERE BY THE V A. SO
BUILDING THAT COMMUNITY IS
CRITICAL TO THEIR LONG TERM
SUCCESS. WELL ONE MORE THING,
WHICH IS, UM AH, LOW INCOME
HOUSING, SO THERE'S A LOT OF
FUNDING AVAILABLE. AH FOR
HOMELESS HOUSING. HMM AH,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE NOT HOMELESS. THE
WORKING POOR UH, THERE HAS BEEN
VERY SHORT SUPPLY. SO WE'RE
CREATING A COMMUNITY OUT IN
RIVERSIDE OF SMALL HOMES, 500
SQUARE FOOT HOMES FOR VETERANS
WHO HAVE AN INCOME BUT NOT AN
INCOME. THAT'S GREAT ENOUGH TO
AFFORD THEM, UH, MARKET RATE
HOUSING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THAT IS A REAL GAP AND AT
OUR PROJECT IN VENTURA AS WELL,
I THINK WE HAVE 35 UNITS FOR LOW
INCOME VETERANS. BUT THERE'S
CERTAINLY TOO LITTLE MONEY FOR
VETERANS WHO ARE NOT HOMELESS,
BUT WHO ARE ON THE EDGE. UH
SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD
THE HOUSING THAT'S IN OUR
COMMUNITY. YEAH, THAT. A MASSIVE
, MASSIVE ISSUE. UM AND
SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY, YOU
KNOW, I THINK I THINK THE WORK
THAT'S BEEN DONE AROUND VETERAN
HOMELESSNESS AND THE SUCCESS
THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THAT, UM,
WE NEED TO EXPAND AND MAKE SURE
THAT THAT EXPANDS TO LOW INCOME
AND TRULY LOW INCOME HOUSING FOR
FOLKS. UM. YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY
IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HEAR FROM
EVERYONE TODAY AND JUST AGAIN.
APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.
UM, AND THOSE WHO TRAVELED DOWN
FROM SACRAMENTO. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. UM WE YOU KNOW IT. IT'S
ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT A LOT
OF THESE EFFORTS ARE REALLY
MAKING AN IMPACT AND REALLY
MAKING A DIFFERENCE. UM AND I
THINK IT'S NOT THE TIME TO TAKE
OFF THE GAS WHEN THAT'S
HAPPENING, BUT TO CONTINUE ON
EVEN THOUGH WE'VE MADE A HUGE
DENT IN VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, I
DON'T THINK ANY OF US WILL BE
HAPPY UNTIL IT'S DOWN TO ZERO,
AND I KNOW THAT'S WHERE WE'RE
TRYING TO GET TO, AND THAT'S THE
WORK WE'RE TRYING TO DO. UM
COLLECTIVELY, AND I'M YOU KNOW,
HAPPY TO BE SUPPORTING AND BEING
A PART OF THAT AS WELL, UM, I DO
WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC
COMMENT AND HAVE THE PUBLIC HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ON RECORD
FOR THE HEARING TODAY. UM AND
JUST IF YOU CAN LINE UP AT THE
MIC HERE WILL TAKE EVERYONE, UM
AT THE MIKE AND YOU CAN HAVE UP
TO TWO MINUTES. PLEASE SAY YOUR
NAME AND WHERE YOU'RE FROM, UM,
AND JUST A REMINDER. THIS IS NOT
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
COMMENT AND STATEMENTS AND NOT
QUESTIONS OR BACK AND FORTH. UM
AND SO COME ON, UP AND PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU'RE
FROM. THIS SUBJECT. AND YEAH,
AND PLEASE KEEP IT TO THE
SUBJECT OF THE HEARING. THANK
YOU. HELLO MY NAME IS BRIANNA
SAYS FOR THIS. I LIVE HERE IN
CANYON COUNTRY. UM AND I'M HERE
AND A GROUP OF US ARE HERE TO
MAKE ALL OF YOU AWARE, ALL OF
YOU VETERAN SUPPORT
ORGANIZATIONS AND AS WELL AS
YOU, REPRESENTATIVE VÚI. I'M
JUST THANKFUL THAT ALL OF YOU
ARE JUST AMICABLE TOWARDS THE
VETERANS AND I WANT TO MAKE YOU
AWARE OF A DISTINCT GROUP OF
VETERANS THAT EXIST. SO WE'RE
CALLED INVOLUNTARY VETERANS.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 8500 ACTIVE
DUTY AND 85,000 RESERVES AND
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS THAT WERE
AFFECTED BY THE COVID 19 MANDATE
AND MY PERSONAL STORY. I WAS IN
THE AIR FORCE FOR ALMOST FIVE
YEARS AND THAT INCLUDED SERIOUS
THREATS AND MISTREATMENT AFTER
MY RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION WAS
DENIED. AFTER MORE THAN 140 DAYS
IN ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE, NON
RECOMMENDATION FOR PROMOTION,
REPRIMANDS AND DISCRIMINATION. I
WAS FORCED OUT OF THE AIR FORCE
WITH LESS THAN HONORABLE
DISCHARGE STATUS. THAT MEANS
THAT FOR US INVOLUNTARY
VETERANS, WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS
TO THE G I BILL TO PAY FOR
SCHOOL, AFFECTING EMPLOYMENT AND
ULTIMATELY PUTTING US AT RISK
FOR HOMELESSNESS, SUICIDE AND
MENTAL HEALTH INSTABILITY. SO
WE'RE REGARDED ACCORDING TO THE
V A AS HAVING DISQUALIFIED
SERVICE FOR A MANDATE THAT IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT, AND WE HAVE
BEEN FORGOTTEN IN THE LOOPHOLE
AND EVEN LAWSUITS ARE BEING
DISMISSED BECAUSE THE MANDATE NO
LONGER EXISTS. SO A VSO ALSO I
SPOKE TO HAS TOLD ME TO UPGRADE
MY DISCHARGE STATUS. IT'S UNDER
A TWO YEAR DELAY. SO UM, MY
STORY IS JUST AMONG MANY, MANY
OTHERS, AND I'M ASKING FOR ALL
OF YOUR SUPPORT THE
ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS YOU TO
NOT FORGET THE INVOLUNTARY
VETERANS WHEN YOU THINK OF
VETERANS. AND WE'RE ASKING FOR
ADVOCACY. HELP UPGRADING OUR
DISCHARGES. THERE'S A GOOD BILL
FOR THE N D. A AMENDMENT OF THE
AMERICANS ACT THAT WE'RE JUST
LOOKING FOR SUPPORT AS WELL
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND TO BE
RECOGNIZED ULTIMATELY, FOR
HONORABLE SERVICE. JUST THAT
WE'RE NOT FORGOTTEN. SO THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK
YOU. EVERYONE NAME AND WHERE
YOU'RE FROM? YES MY NAME IS
NATASHA ROBINSON. SANTA CLARA TO
RESIDENT FOR 30 YEARS AND THEN
WORK FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS
ANGELES. I'M THE MOTHER OF THE
GRAVE LEGISLATIVE BUILD VETERAN.
I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
HOSTING THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
MEETING AND I WANTED TO MAKE A
SPECIAL COMMENTS. TUNIS STORAGE
HMAN. FOR HER TEAM'S EFFORT IN
BUILDING HOUSING FOR THE
VETERANS. SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
ON EACH AND EVERY POINT WHAT SHE
MENTIONED I WON'T REALLY RATE
THAT I'M JUST ASKING, PLEASE
GIVE ME YOUR DIRECT CONTACT
NUMBER BEFORE YOU LEAVE, AND I'M
HERE. JUST SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY
GRAVE. THE DISABLED SON. HE
COULDN'T BE HERE ON HIS OWN.
BECAUSE HE IS HOSPITALIZED IN
THEIR WEST L A V, A MEDICAL
CLINIC. FOR ALMOST A MONTH. UM.
WHY HE IS HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE
HE WAS PUSHED TO THEIR ACUTE
PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS. BY CERTAIN
EVENTS. CONDUCTED BY THEIR
CERTAIN RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT
MANAGEMENT COMPANY HERE IN SANTA
CLARITA. IN VIOLATION OF THE
RESIDENTIAL LEASE AGREEMENT.
SPECIFICALLY UM, REFUSAL TO BE
NUISANCES AND, UH, WHICH
AGGRAVATED MY SON'S MILITARY
CONNECTED DISABILITY SEVERELY HE
ENDURED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. WE
DID ALL PROPER COMPLAINTS. WE
DID ALL PROPER VIDEOTAPING
EVERYTHING. WE REQUESTED
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS TO BID
NUISANCES. NOTHING WAS DONE. HE
WAS HARASSED. HE WAS HUMAN.
ELATED. HE WAS. PUSH TO THIS
CONDITION THAT HE IS
HOSPITALIZED RIGHT NOW. IT'S
HEARTBREAKING. AND RIGHT NOW
THAT RESIDENTIAL COMPANY WHICH
IS A LARGE APARTMENT OWNERS,
MULTI STATE IS TRYING TO VICTIM
UNLAWFULLY. I CAN RECITE THE LAW
STATUTES, EVERYTHING
SPECIFICALLY VIOLATIONS OF THE
FAIR HOUSING ACT, CALLED THE
FEDERAL REGULATIONS TITLE 24. AH
IT WILL NOT HELP MY SON RIGHT
NOW, BUT I HOPE THAT WITH YOUR
HELP, HE WILL FIND HOUSING. HE
WILL FIND JUSTICE BECAUSE THERE
IS ANOTHER TOPIC WHICH IS
BOGGLES MY MIND. THERE IS NO
LEGAL HELP FOR THE VETERANS
WHATSOEVER. IT DOESN'T EXIST. IT
DOESN'T EXIST. IT'S A VETERAN
CLINICS. IT DOESN'T EXIST IN ANY
KIND OF I CAN. IT'S NOT EVEN
POSSIBLE TO FIND, UM UH, ETHICAL
AND KNOWLEDGEABLE, PRIVATE
ATTORNEY REPRESENTING TENANT
LANDLORDS MATTERS AND BELIEVE
ME, I'M SPEAKING FROM HORRIFYING
EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT
THE FIRST TIME WHEN MY SON IS
ABUSED FOR MANIFESTATION OF HIS
DISABILITIES IN PUBLIC. AND, UM
EXAMPLES OF THOSE DISABILITIES
COULD BE THAT SHE COULD HAVE
TALKING TO HIMSELF, MAKING
STRANGE GESTURES. UH, NOT ABLE
TO WALK ALL THOSE BALANCE
BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF MY SON'S
DISABILITIES IT'S HEARTBREAKING,
HORRIFYING MENTAL DISABILITIES.
CONNECTED TO THE HIS HONORABLE
SERVICE. HONORABLE DISCHARGE
WITH MULTIPLE COMMENDATIONS, AND
IT'S HEARTBREAKING HELP PEOPLE
TREAT VETERANS LIKE MY SON, WHO
IS NOT EVEN SOMETIMES ABLE TO
EXPLAIN HIMSELF OR. TWO TO SAY
WHAT HAPPENED. SO I'M ASKING TO
HELP HIM. HE IS WILLING IN THE
READY. TO ACCEPT SERVICES. HE
WAS HOMELESS ALMOST FOUR TIMES
BECAUSE OF HIS MENTAL
DISABILITIES. I CANNOT SAVE HIM
THAT HIS TIME AND FORTUNATELY MY
HEALTH AND I FINANCIAL RESOURCES
DEPLETED EXTREMELY, BUT I
SACRIFICED EVERYTHING AS A
MOTHER TO SAVE HIM TO GIVE HIM A
CHANCE BECAUSE IT'S LONG HE IS
ALIVE. THERE IS HOPE. AND THIS
IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WHEN HE IS
TREATED WERE TREATED LIKE THAT.
FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. IT WAS A
HORRIFYING CHAIN OF EVENTS
SIMILAR TO THIS ONE INSTEAD OF
THEIR LANDLORD, LARGE LANDLORD
COMPANY. IT WAS A HOMEOWNERS
ASSOCIATION HERE IN THE SENATE,
CLARITA. EVERYTHING THAT STARTED
ALSO WITH NUISANCES WITH VERBAL
ABUSE TO MY DISABLED SON TO ME,
DISTURBANCE OF PEACE IN
EVERYTHING THE SAME THING,
VIOLATIONS OF THE COVENANTS,
CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS
VIOLATIONS OF THE FAIR HOUSING
ACT. BUT AGAIN A TREE INSTEAD OF
THE LANDLORD. AND ITS RESIDENT
WAS FROM THE TENANTS RESIDING
NEAR OUR PROPERTY UNDER SECTION
EIGHT, SECTION EIGHT IS A GREAT
PROGRAM. ABSOLUTELY GREAT, BUT
PEOPLE ARE MISUSING THAT AND
WHAT HAPPENED THEN? THE VERBAL
ABUSE AND NOISE DISTURBANCES,
WHICH WERE HIGHLY HORRIFYING FOR
MY SON. IT AGGRAVATED HIS
MILITARY DISABILITIES TO EXTREME
POINT. HE WAS HOSPITALIZED
MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THOSE
DISTURBANCES AROSE TO THE
PHYSICAL ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON
BOTH OF US. JANUARY 14 2018,
PLEASE ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU JUST
ONE PICTURE FROM THAT. NOBODY
HELPED US. THEN. BUT WE SURVIVED
SO FAR. WE SAW JUSTICE WE
COULDN'T GET THROUGH JUST AS WE
COULDN'T GET ANY HELP. I'M
BEGGING YOU. PLEASE MAKE A
DIFFERENCE NOW. I WILL SURVIVE.
BUT MY SON WILL NOT WITHOUT ME.
THANK YOU. AND I DON'T KNOW IF I
WILL SURVIVE BECAUSE I KEEP
COLLAPSING. AND I DON'T KNOW FOR
HOW LONG I WILL LAST. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. BY THE WAY. I JUST
WANTED TO MENTION THAT
EXPERIENCE THAT MR WICHMAN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT. I DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT THIS STUFF, AND I LIVE IN
SENATE CLARITY OVER THE STUDY
YEARS, EVEN THOUGH I SEARCHED
EXTENSIVELY. I KNOW THIS SIMILAR
ORGANIZATION TUNNELS TO TOWER.
THEY ARE VERY ACTIVE IN FLORIDA
THEY BUILD IN VILLAGES FOR THE
VETERANS LIKENESS, DEUTSCHES
EXPLAINED. THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE
DONE IN THE COUNTY HAS LED
BECOMES SHE HAS RESOURCES AND
THIS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE GRAVELY
DISABLED PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR THIS
KIND OF STUFF. IT'S A HUGE
DISCONNECT. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE JUST DYING ON
THE STREETS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ADVOCACY. I KNOW YOU CONNECTED
WITH OUR CHIEF CONSULTANT HERE
WHO CAN SUPPORT YOU KNOW,
THERE'S OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HERE
IN THE ROOM HAD HOPEFULLY THEY
CAN CONNECT UP AS WELL. UM THANK
YOU YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU'RE
FROM JESSICA SCHLAGER LIVE HERE
IN THE COMMUNITY OF SANTA
CLARITA. AND I'M JUST THANKFUL.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING OUT THE
EMAIL, LETTING THE COMMUNITY
KNOW ABOUT TODAY'S HEARING. I
WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT.
EXCEPT I DID RECEIVE THE EMAIL.
I'M ACTUALLY AN OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPIST. UM AND I'M INTERESTED
IN WORKING IN THIS FIELD, AND
I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS ALREADY, PROBABLY ABOUT
TWO YEARS TO WORK IN THE FIELD
OF EITHER. VETERANS AFFAIRS.
PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
HOMELESSNESS THEN HOUSED OR ALL
THREE COMBINED LIKE WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY, AND IT'S
VERY HARD BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW,
MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT PRIORITIZED
AT LIKE IT IS WITH PHYSICAL
DISABILITIES. I'M WORKING
CURRENTLY IN OT, BUT WITH
PEDIATRICS IN SANTA CLARA TO BUT
I'M REALLY LOOKING TO WORK IN
THIS FIELD. AND I'VE HAD
CONVERSATIONS. I DON'T NEED TO
GO INTO ALL THE NAMES, ETCETERA,
BUT IT'S THERE'S A LITTLE OUT
THERE BUT NOT ENOUGH. AND OF
COURSE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE
FOR. SO I WOULD LOVE TO JUST
TALK TO PEOPLE IN THIS FIELD.
SEE I LOVE HEARING ABOUT THE TWO
PEOPLE ARE JUST UP HERE. I'M
TAKING EXTENSIVE NOTES ALL BE
TALKING TO YOU. MAYBE THERE'S
JOBS OUT THERE THAT I CAN HELP
WITH DOING. GROUP THERAPY FOR
THE FOR THE VETERANS OR PEOPLE
WHO ARE ON HOUSED OR WITH MENTAL
ILLNESS. AND I LOVE HOW WE
TALKED ABOUT, UM, OT SERVICES, A
DLS, UM, HOARDING. I'VE GOT
GREAT IDEAS FOR GROUPS THAT I'VE
WORKED IN ONE OF MY, UM, WHEN I
WAS GETTING MY DEGREE WAS BACK
IN 98 IN MICHIGAN. I WORKED IN
THE V A AND WE DID GROUPS WITH
THOSE HAD SCHIZOPHRENIA. AND
FOUND GREAT SUCCESS WITH THOSE
PEOPLE. AND I LOVE DOING THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I'VE BEEN WORKING IN
PHYSICAL DISABILITY ALL THE REST
OF THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN AS
AN O T AND WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK
TO THIS FIELD. SO I'M HERE,
HOPING THAT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE
WHO KNOW ABOUT JOBS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE, SO I'M VERY HAPPY.
YOU PUT THIS OUT TO THE
COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
THANKS FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM. NAME
AND WHERE YOU'RE FROM BERNARD
THOMAS I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE
VETERAN RESOURCE CENTER AT
COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS. PROBABLY
THE LARGEST SERVICE PROVIDER IN
SANTA CREDO FOR VETERANS, UM WE
SO PROBABLY ABOUT 300 VETERANS
EVERY SEMESTER, PROBABLY ABOUT
400 EVERY YEAR. AND UM,
EDUCATION AND TRAINING IS WHAT
WE SPECIALIZE IN, AND THAT'S A
KEY COMPONENT TO VETERANS
TRANSITIONING SUCCESSFUL. WE
PARTNER WITH A LOT OF THE
SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
HERE TODAY. I JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR COMING OUT AND
INITIATING THIS DISCUSSION. IT'S
A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE. UM WHEN
VETERANS UM COME TO OUR CENTER,
AND THEY FIND THEMSELVES, UM
WITHOUT RESIDENTS. WE USUALLY
WILL WORK THROUGH V PAN TO
CONNECT THEM WITH SERVICES
WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, BUT FOR
THEM TO HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN A
LOT OF TIMES THAT EDUCATION IS
WHAT THEY NEED OR TRAINING AND
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOHNNY
ESCOBEDO AND BUSINESS AGENT FOR
IRONWORKERS LOCAL 416 AND A
MEMBER OF L A O C BUILDING
TRADES. UM I HEAR EVERYBODY'S
STORY. I KNOW THE HOUSING
INDUSTRY. I KNOW. THE NEED FOR
HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
MILITARY HOUSING, STEVE UM, I'LL
GIVE YOU MY BUSINESS CARD ONCE
WE'RE DONE HERE. MAYBE YOU CAN
PARTNER UP WITH STATE BUILDING
TRADES, LOC BUILDING TRADES AND
WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH POSSIBLY
GETTING SOME TYPE OF FUNDING.
GETTING SOME OF THE FUNDING FROM
THE L. A UNITED THE HOUSE L A
FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR
PROJECTS. UM. IT'S UH IT'S A
REAL SHAME THAT OUR VETERANS
HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT THEY GO
THROUGH. UM JOURNEY VETERAN IN
THE ROOM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICES. UM I'M HERE TO
REPRESENT MY ORGANIZATION TO LET
EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE AT THE
IRONWORKERS, WE HAVE A PROGRAM.
IT'S CALLED HELMETS TO HARD
HATS. SO IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, OR
IF YOU'RE STILL EVEN IN THE
SERVICE ACTED ACTIVE MILITARY
YOU COME TO US, YOU GET TOP
PRIORITY WHERE THE IRONWORKERS
WE DO CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT,
WHICH IS REBAR. AND WE ALSO DO
STRUCTURAL. UM. BASICALLY YOU'RE
TURNING YOUR HELMET AND YOU GET
A HARD HAT. STARTING WAGES WITH
US RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO BE WE
GET A RAISE IN JANUARY. IT'S
GOING TO BE 24 AND CHANGE AN
HOUR. FOR FIRST PAIR, APPRENTICE
AND JOURNEYMAN IS GOING TO BE A
$49 AN HOUR. FULL MEDICAL
PENSION LIFE, UM EVERYTHING
LIVABLE WAGES. WHAT EVERYBODY IN
CALIFORNIA NEEDS IT'S SOMETHING
THAT, UH WE GO WITHOUT. PEOPLE
OVERLOOK THAT AND THE WAY THINGS
ARE THE COST OF LIVING IS YOU
KNOW WHAT IT'S NOT BENEFIT TO
ANYBODY. WE ACCEPT WOMEN IN OUR
PROGRAMS. WE HAD SOMEBODY
TALKING ABOUT TRIPLE H. UM THE
BAR TRIPLE H BOND. YOU KNOW WHAT
IN THE VERBIAGE OF THE TRIPLE H
BONDS, THEIR STIPULATION IN
THOSE IN THAT PAPERWORK THAT YOU
WILL HAVE LOCAL HIRES. YOU WILL
HAVE WOMEN HIGHER. YOU WILL HAVE
TRANSITIONAL HIRES TRANSITIONAL
MEANS MILITARY PEOPLE OF A
DIFFERENT SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD DRUG
CONVICTIONS PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD
ARRESTS. AND WE DON'T
DISCRIMINATE. YOU KNOW, IN OUR
ORGANIZATION. WE NEED WOMEN IN
THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. WE
NEED WOMEN. WOMEN HAVE TOP
PRIORITY, ALONG WITH MILITARY WE
NEED PEOPLE IN CONSTRUCTION AND
THEY'RE LIVABLE WAGES. SO IF
THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE
THAT IS INTERESTED, PLEASE REACH
OUT TO ME. I CAN GET YOU
CONNECTED. WHETHER IT'S IN IN
THE IRONWORK OR ELECTRICAL POWER
BEING A MASON OR CARPENTER. IT'S
ALL THE BUILDING TRADES THAT
SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO PLEASE,
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS,
PLEASE, BY ALL MEANS, REACH OUT
TO ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY
OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY OUT.
COME ON DOWN, MR STABLE.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JEFF
STABLE, WITHSTANDING CREATIVE
VETERAN SERVICE, THE
COLLABORATIVE AND I JUST WANT TO
REITERATE THAT ONE OF THE BEST
PROGRAMS THAT HAS COME ALONG FOR
ELLIE IN THE COUNTY IS DEEP IN
WE PARTNERED ABOUT TWO YEARS
AGO, AND THEY HELP TREMENDOUSLY
IN OUR COLLABORATIVE AND WORKING
WITH PEOPLE, SO IT'S A
PHENOMENAL PROGRAM. WE ALSO
PROVIDE RESOURCES AND REFERRALS.
SO I GOT A LAWYER. EVEN TALK. TO
SO THANK YOU. AND. YEAH AND THE
AND AGAIN JUST SUPPORTING VPN.
PHENOMENAL ORGANIZATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM I
JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY FOR
BEING A PART OF THIS FOR THE
VETERANS IN THE ROOM. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND
FOR THOSE DOING WORK IN THIS
SPACE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE
SUPPORTING VETERANS, I THINK YOU
AS WELL UM I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FIXED ALL
SOLUTIONS. SO BRINGING ALL OF
THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ALL OF
THIS DIFFERENT SUPPORT HOUSING
SERVICES. UM. THAT THESE ARE ALL
TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY GOING TO
BE THE THINGS THAT HELP US GET
TO THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED IN
OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT
VETERANS REALLY HAVE THE SUPPORT
THAT THEY NEED THAT WE END
VETERAN HOMELESSNESS. UM GOOD
ONCE AND FOR ALL, AND THAT
VETERANS HAVE HAVE THE ABILITY
NOT ONLY TO SURVIVE BUT TO
THRIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND
UM SO I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK
EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE FOR
BEING A PART OF THIS HEARING,
AND I WANT TO THANK MY CHIEF
CONSULTANT CHRISTIAN BIRKIN, WHO
DID A LOT OF WORK TO PULL THIS
TOGETHER. UM AND IS A RESOURCE
ALSO FOR YOU KNOW, FOLKS TO
CONNECT UP WITH. HE'S A VETERAN
HIMSELF, AND, UM, AND AN EXPERT
IN THIS WORK, AND SO YOU KNOW, I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW
THAT OUR COMMITTEE IS HERE FOR
YOU AND AS A RESOURCE AND
SUPPORT AND OUR OFFICE IS ALWAYS
HERE FOR YOU AS WELL. AND I KNOW
ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE
COMMITTEE WOULD, UM, WOULD
EXPRESS THE SAME. AND SO I JUST
WANT TO, UM, CONCLUDE THE
HEARING OF THE MILITARY AND
VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR
THE ASSEMBLY, AND, UM AND WE'LL
GO ONWARD TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS
WORK. THANK YOU.