December 20, 2016
A Holiday Season Plea for More Landlords to Join “Housing Our Heroes,” Helping Hundreds of Homeless Veterans off the Streets
450 homeless Veterans have secured rental housing through San Diego Housing Commission and City of San Diego partnership program
San Diego, CA — This holiday season, more landlords in the city of San Diego are asked to join the “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program of the San Diego Housing Commission’s (SDHC) 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative to provide a path off the streets for homeless Veterans – to date, 290 landlords have provided rental housing for 450 homeless Veterans.
One of those Veterans is Paul, a former U.S. Marine who had been homeless and living in his car on and off since 2010. Last year, he received medical care for severe health issues at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) San Diego Healthcare System. In May, he qualified for a Federal housing Voucher for Veterans, and was referred to “Housing Our Heroes.”
“It’s really been great to get off the streets and being able to have a place that’s more or less secure. … I have a home now, and I appreciate the program very much,” said Paul, who served as an electronic technician in a support unit in Vietnam that worked on F-4B Phantom jet fighters.
In June, Paul moved into an apartment complex in University Heights, at which Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer called on more landlords to join the “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program during a news conference today.
“The ‘Housing Our Heroes’ campaign offers a variety of incentives to entice landlords to participate in the program. So this holiday season, I’m asking all of our landlords throughout the city and the region to take advantage of those incentives and help us to house a Veteran,” Mayor Faulconer said.
City Councilmember Chris Ward, who represents District 3, which includes University Heights, said there are opportunities for landlords to help homeless Veterans immediately.
“As someone who grew up in a military family myself, this is personal to me. These are people who served our country, and now it’s our turn to serve them in their time of need. … And especially during this holiday season, I hope we can turn our dedication of thoughts and words in to action and homes,” Councilmember Ward said.
To date, 290 landlords in the city of San Diego have committed rental units for homeless Veterans, and 450 formerly homeless Veterans are renting apartments they have secured through the “Housing Our Heroes” program of SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative, which is part of HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, SDHC’s three-year Homelessness Action Plan (2014-17).
Additional landlords are needed to provide rental housing for the 254 homeless Veterans who are currently searching for rental apartments through SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative, said SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry.
“The majority of our Housing Our Heroes veterans are in need of one-bedroom or studio rental apartments, and there is a big desire to live in this part of San Diego—here, Hillcrest, North Park, Mission Valley area,” President & CEO Gentry said.
David Antczak, the owner of ABN Property Holdings, which has three rental properties with 50 housing units in the city of San Diego, including the 17-unit complex in University Heights where the call for additional landlords took place, has answered the call to provide housing for homeless Veterans.
He currently rents apartment units to five formerly homeless Veterans through SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative, and encouraged other rental property owners to join the “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program.
“My wife and I both have family members who have served and have come from overseas and we understand what it’s like and the sacrifices they have made. They have sacrificed their educational opportunities, career opportunities, and family opportunities so they can serve. I’d like to say thank you to the ‘Housing Our Heroes’ program for giving me and my wife an opportunity to say thank you to them,” he said.
Feedback SDHC has received from landlords participating in the “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program indicates that the top three reasons they joined the program are:
- The desire to help homeless Veterans;
- The support they receive from SDHC’s “Housing Our Heroes” liaison team, which helps landlords with every aspect of the program; and
- The landlord incentive payments.
SDHC and the City of San Diego are partners in the “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program, which provides incentives to landlords with rental properties in the city of San Diego (ZIP code 92037 and ZIP codes that begin with 921, excluding 92118) who rent to homeless Veterans.
In addition, landlords with rental properties in the city of National City (ZIP code 91950) can participate in “Housing Our Heroes.” Veterans who receive Federal rental housing vouchers through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program are able to rent units in National City.
- Landlords receive $500 for the first unit they rent to a homeless Veteran and $250 for each additional unit.
- Financial assistance is also provided toward security deposits, utilities, and rental application fees.
Demographics:
Of the Veterans who have secured housing through SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative as of December 20, 2016:
- Approximately 11 percent are Veterans with families—this includes 85 adults and 103 children;
- Approximately 60 percent are age 51 or older; and
- 91 percent are men.
Private landlords participating in the “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program are providing rental units to Veterans in neighborhoods throughout the city of San Diego:
- 35 percent live in Downtown San Diego;
- 11 percent in eastern San Diego;
- 9 percent in Logan Heights;
- 5 percent in College Grove; and
- Close to 6 percent live in North Park.
Background:
The “Housing Our Heroes” landlord outreach program is one of four components of SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative to provide housing opportunities for up to 1,000 homeless veterans in the city of San Diego within one year (March 2017).
SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative is investing close to $12.5 million over two years in Federal, City, and SDHC resources to provide housing opportunities for homeless Veterans in the city who are living on the streets or in shelters.
SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative is part of HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, SDHC’s landmark three-year Homelessness Action Plan, which uses the Housing First Model – to provide homeless individuals with housing as quickly as possible, with supportive services as needed.
Homeless Veterans are referred to the program through service providers, which include:
| Father Joe’s | Joan Kroc | Father Joe’s | ElderHelp |
| Villages | Center at | Villages | |
| Community | PATH | Alpha Project for | U.S. Department of |
| Resource Center | the Homeless | Veterans Affairs | |
| Episcopal | Neil Good | Volunteers of | Veterans Community |
| Community | Day Center | America | Services |
| Services | |||
| Interfaith Shelter | YWCA | Veterans Village of | Courage to Call (Mental |
| Network | San Diego | Health Systems) |
Landlords seeking information about SDHC’s 1,000 Homeless Veterans Initiative can call 619-578-7768 or email HousingOurHeroes@sdhc.org for more information.
For more information about SDHC, visit www.sdhc.org
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Media Contact:
Maria Velasquez
Chief Communications Officer
San Diego Housing Commission
619-578-7560
mariav@sdhc.org
