“Veterans Row,” pictured here in May 2020, was cleared in early November by the city of Los Angeles and volunteers, but nearly 4,000 homeless veterans are still living in the city. (Photo: John Sequeira)
The Government Accountability Office released a report on Monday supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs changes to its Supportive Services for Veterans Families, or SSVF, program.
As previously reported by California American Legion news, the changes essentially allow the VA to cover a higher percentage of rent costs for veterans living in high-cost markets, such as in Los Angeles or San Francisco, California.
Before, SSVF grants would pay for up to 35% of a veteran’s “reasonable rent,” however, the VA’s new policy increased the maximum rate to 50%, in addition to lengthening the maximum number of days homeless veterans and their veterans can stay in emergency housing to 60.
The program was allowed to bypass requirements set forth by the Congressional Review Act, which would have required a 60-day hold so the legislature or other governing bodies could review said changes before the program could become effective. However, the VA contested that the delay “would have significant negative health consequences to homeless and at-risk veterans” and issued the policy changes as an interim final rule.
GAO reviewed this ruling, including the VA’s estimates of the economic impact of increasing funding for the SSVF program, and found both to be satisfactory.
Veterans Homelessness in Southern California
The VA is currently working to house over 500 Los Angeles-area veterans before a Dec. 31 deadline set by Secretary Denis McDonough.
In early November, the VA cleared the veterans encampment popularly known as “Veterans Row” outside its West Los Angeles medical facility. Most veterans removed from the camp are currently living on the facility’s campus in temporary housing. The VA has not released regular updates on the effort’s progress.
Current estimates suggest between 3,000 and 4,000 homeless veterans are living in Los Angeles alone.
Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.