Middlesex County 'Effectively' Ended Veteran Homelessness

EDISON, NJ-- Middlesex has effectively ended veteran homelessness, freeholders announced yesterday. The county was certified by three different federal agencies has having the support and systems in place to ensure that any veteran on the cusp of homelessness is found a permanent home quickly.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, US Interagency Council on Homelessness and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) all certified that Middlesex county has achieved what they call "Functional Zero," the technical term for ending veteran homelessness.

“Those of you who know me, know that helping our veterans is a passion of mine, and this achievement in particular is so very close to my heart,” Freeholder Director Ronald Rios said at a press conference. “This is the story of many hands and heads working together to achieve a common goal. I thank and commend our County staff and our community partners for sharing my passion and my vision for ending Veterans Homelessness. We did it. And we did it together.”

In 2012, the Veterans Housing Assistance Program was created to help veterans in the county who were in danger of losing their homes. Through this program, 300 veterans and their families have been kept in permanent housing. Veterans who use this program receive funds to help with down payments and security deposits, rental assistance and other associated costs to finding a home.

“We applaud all the partners in Middlesex County who joined forces to prove once again that we don’t have to accept homelessness in America,” said Matthew Doherty, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness said at the conference. "When committed leaders work together to implement effective strategies, we can end homelessness in this country, not just for Veterans, but for everyone.”

Image: Maria Maio-Messano, New Jersey Field Office Director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (center), presents certification of the County’s achievement of effectively ending veterans homelessness in the County to (from left) Middlesex County Freeholder Charles Kenny, Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios, Freeholder Blanquita B. Valenti and Freeholder Charles E. Tomaro. Credit: Middlesex County Freeholders