Catalina Joins National Movement to Help Homeless Veterans

Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina has committed to ending veteran homelessness in the city by the end of 2015.

He has joined more than 474 mayors across the country in the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.

It aims to pool federal, state, and community resources to assist homeless veterans in securing permanent housing and the services that will help them stay in their homes.

The Mayors Challenge is a White House initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama in June 2014, bringing together the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USCIH), and the National League of Cities.

Together, these federal agencies are working with local partners to strategically target resources like HUD- Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers that fund housing and social services for Veterans. Other key resources include financial assistance and job training through local providers that receive federal funding from the federal Continuum of Care program.

“HUD welcomes and applauds Mayor Catalina’s commitment to ending veteran homelessness this year,” said Holly Leicht, HUD Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey. “The brave men and women of the military, who have given so much to protect our lives and liberty, deserve to have a place they can call their own. Through the Mayors Challenge, all levels of government are joining forces to make sure that they do.”

• Click here to learn more about resources for local veterans experiencing homelessness.

Later this year, HUD anticipates awarding nearly 10,000 new HUD-VASH vouchers nationwide to build upon significant progress toward ending veteran homelessness.

Since 2008, a total of 58,250 rental vouchers have been awarded and 43,371 formerly homeless veterans are currently in homes of their own because of HUD- VASH. Rental assistance and support services provided through HUD-VASH are a critical resource for local communities in ending homelessness among our nation’s veterans.

Since 2010, when the Federal government launched Opening Doors, a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness, there has been a 33 percent reduction in homelessness among veterans. This reduction has been achieved through a partnership between the Obama Administration, local governments, non-profits, and the private sector. Through this final push to leverage momentum and strengthen our commitment, the goal of ending veteran homelessness in America is within reach.