PCHA Provides Additional Housing Assistance for Veterans

This week HUD awarded PCHA a second round of HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers, bringing the total number of homeless veterans served by PCHA through the HUD-VASH program to 384.    HUD-VASH Vouchers combine Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless Veterans, with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.  PCHA works very closely with the C.W. “Bill” Young Medical Center to house eligible veterans.  “The on-going case management that the veterans receive from the VA VASH Case Management team, coupled with the housing assistance from the Voucher, helps veterans have a greater probability of success in their new homes and in getting the help they need and deserve” said Elisa Galvan, PCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher program director.

PCHA partners to provide housing assistance to veterans and their families through partnerships as well.  Most recently, PCHA partnered with Boley Centers, ServiceSource, and Blue Sky Communities to provide project-based housing vouchers for the new Duval Park veteran’s community in St. Petersburg.  PCHA’s Chairman, Joseph Triolo participated in the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Duval Park community on November 10, 2014.  The new development will consist of 88 private apartments for veterans with special needs, specifically those transitioning from a VA hospital or medical center.  Forty-four (44) of the units will be subsidized through PCHA’s Housing Choice Voucher program.  Duval Park will offer veterans and their families the opportunity to live in affordable, permanent, supportive housing with access to assistance in finding employment and continued access to community-based services.  “We’re very happy to be a partner in the Duval Park development providing housing assistance for more veterans and their families.  We will continue to seek ways to add more assisted and affordable housing opportunities in Pinellas County” said Debbie Johnson, PCHA’s executive director.