Dorn tackles Veteran homelessness with local housing fair
Jennifer Scales
Dorn VA Medical Center Public Affairs
Veteran homelessness continues to be an epidemic that remains, even here in South Carolina.
But the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center staff stepped up recently to continue their efforts to wipe out the dilemma at a Veteran Housing Fair, June 21 at the Cecil Tillis Center in Columbia.
Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Support Housing (HUD-VASH) members of Dorn welcomed the Veterans, landlords and homeowners to the event in hopes that they would all make a connection.
Debra Williams, supervisor of the Dorn HUD-VASH stated that these programs are held as needed, but the intent is to hold them quarterly. “Having such an event here, away from the medical center, makes it more accessible for the landlords and the Veterans,” Williams said.
Dorn’s HUD-VASH assisted the program at this gathering by having the credit reports of all the pre-qualified Veterans who had their vouchers in hand, who were ready to seal the deal with a future landlord.
In addition to the landlords, local agencies such as Alston Wilkes Society, Wateree Community Action, Columbia Housing Authority and others were present to render assistance to the Veterans in the form of initial moving-in deposits.
Ramonda Pollard, Columbia Housing Authority, noted that her agency authorizes and administers the vouchers. “The housing authority subsidizes the rent and provides criminal background checks for the landlords,” Pollard said. “We are trying to knock down the barriers that stand in your way…our number one goal is to end homelessness for Veterans.”
Rachel Henline, property manager of Elmcreek and Wardlaw Apartments, remarked on being at the housing fair for her first time. “Veterans hold a big place in my heart, as both of my grandfathers are Veterans. I want our living spaces to provide them hopefully with a better life.”
Cherie Lewis-Svoboda, property manager representing Cypress Cove Apartments on Byron Road, came to help meet the needs of the Veteran homeless situation. “We currently have 16 units available and most of the occupancies are Veterans,” Lewis-Svoboda said.
“Summer is here and the weather is warm,” Williams said. “We don’t want Veterans to wait until it is cold when they start looking for a place to stay. Now is the perfect time to begin their placement, as we expect more landlords to be coming on board in the program also.”
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| Date Taken: | 07.12.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.12.2017 16:06 |
| Story ID: | 240916 |
| Location: | COLUMBIA, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 122 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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