Milford Lawmaker Hails 'Major Milestone' in Mission to End Veterans Homelessness

State Rep. Pam Staneski (Milford & Orange) along with members of the legislature’s Veterans Affairs committee joined Governor Dannel P. Malloy today to announce that the federal government has certified Connecticut as having effectively ended homelessness among veterans, according to a prepared statement.

Just the second state in the nation to accomplish the milestone, Connecticut has implemented a comprehensive, unprecedented system to target homelessness among veterans.

This federal certification comes after Governor Malloy and U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary MacDonald announced last fall that Connecticut had become the first state in the country to end chronic homelessness among veterans.

The designation comes after an extensive review by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA).

Last August, Connecticut made history when it became the first state in the nation certified by the group as having eliminated chronic homelessness among veterans. Chronic homelessness is defined as an individual with a disability who has been homeless for a period of at least one year or has had three or more episodes of homelessness that total one year. Today’s announcement means the state has effectively eliminated homelessness among all veterans.

Rep. Staneski said in a statement,“We are on the right road when we what we do and policies we set help those who have served this great nation.”

“This milestone is a major one - we have been a national leader on so many issues and today is yet another reflection. We have a responsibility to take care of our veterans, to ensure that veterans have access to housing, quality health care, education, and career opportunities. We’re proud to have achieved this ambitious goal,” Governor Malloy said.

“Just a few years ago, there was no Department of Housing in Connecticut. Today, we’re being recognized for reaching the high goals that we’ve set. We’ve built the infrastructure, through a network of partnerships and investments, to the point at which our housing and supports delivers a home to every veteran in our state. I am incredibly proud of our federal and state agencies, our nonprofits, and our community providers on the frontlines. But we will not stop here - we will keep working to end chronic homelessness in Connecticut by the end of this year.”

Through a partnership of local, state, and federal organizations, Connecticut has created a system that works to prevent homelessness among veterans and ensures that when there is a new episode of homelessness, it is brief and non-recurring.

Even with these strengthened homeless prevention services, this designation does not mean a veteran in Connecticut will never again experience an episode of homelessness. Instead, it means that when a veteran enters an episode of homelessness, the state has the capacity and sustainable systems in place to quickly find and connect this veteran to the assistance needed for him or her to achieve stable, permanent housing.

The state’s network of partners are continually identifying veterans who are experiencing homelessness, rapidly providing them with interim housing when necessary, and placing them into permanent housing with the appropriate support services within 90 days.

“Connecticut has a long history of ‘Serving Those Who Served,’ dating back to 1864 when the doors to the first Veterans home opened in Darien,” Connecticut Department of Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner Sean M. Connolly said. “Today’s announcement follows in that same tradition of commitment to our Service women and men through the continued determination of our state leadership putting Veterans first and the vital collaborative relationships between other state and federal entities. This is an incredible victory for Connecticut Veterans.”