State Invests $350,000 To House Homeless Vets

SALEM, OR — State officials on Wednesday announced the release of $350,000 toward the housing of homeless veterans in Oregon.

The funds are reportedly available thanks to nearly 84 percent of voters who approved Measure 96 in 2016, which allowed state financiers to use 1.5 percent of Oregon's net lottery proceeds to invest in veteran services, which according to the state's ballot includes "assistance with accessing state and federal benefits, reintegration, employment, education, housing, health care, and addition treatment programs."

Oregon Housing and Community Services is working with the state's Department of Veterans' Affairs to appropriately channel the funds through Community Action Agencies throughout the state, which will in turn work with the Veterans Emergency Housing Assistance program ran by Housing and Community Services, according to state officials.

"We're excited about our partnership with the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs as we work together to end veteran homelessness in Oregon," Margaret Salazar, director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, said in a statement. "Our veterans have bravely served our country and we owe it to them to ensure that they have a safe and stable place to call home."

According to state data, the number of homeless veterans in Oregon decreased 9 percent between 2015 and 2017; yet this year's Point-in-Time homeless count still found 1,251 veterans without permanent stable housing. State officials believe the $350,000 investment will help reduce that number further.

"In the last few years, we have made great progress in reducing the number of homeless veterans, but we still have a long way to go to meet our goal of ending veteran homelessness in our state," Veterans' Affairs Director Cameron Smith said in a statement. "This funding is essential as we continue to work to address the housing needs of all of Oregon's veterans and their families."

"Every veteran in Oregon deserves safe and stable housing," Governor Kate Brown said in a statement. "I'm proud of the progress we're making to ensure every veteran has a roof over his or her head, and this dedicated funding takes us another step closer toward ending veterans homelessness in Oregon."

Top Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images