NEW YORK—Something to think about on Veteran’s Day: one in four homeless people are veterans.
To combat this situation, veterans themselves broke ground on the first of two alternative shelters for homeless veterans in the Bronx on Monday.
The groundbreaking was part of the Jericho Project, which was formed in 1983 to provide assistance to the increasing number of homeless veterans on New York’s streets. The Project owns and operates five houses in Harlem and the Bronx using alternative rehabilitation methods to help homeless veterans get back on their feet and become self-sufficient.
“Many veterans become homeless due to trauma, substance abuse, and lack of resources,” said Jericho executive director, Tori Lyon. “This program will enable them to rebuild their lives by providing supportive housing within an atmosphere of healing and dignity.”
According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients, 23 percent of all homeless and 33 percent of homeless males are veterans. Disproportionately, there are only two houses in the city geared toward the specific needs of veterans.
“Many more veterans are severely rent burdened and at risk of homelessness than we know about” Lyon said in a release. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 500,000 veterans pay more than 50 percent of their income on rent. In America, 200,000 veterans are homeless and 3,500 of them are in New York City.
The US Veterans Administration expects the number of homeless veterans it has seen in the last three years to escalate. A lot of veterans are staying with family members or friends, are jobless, and many have substance abuse issues.
Forty percent of the units will be reserved for low-income veterans from the community, with priority given to veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sixty percent will be set aside for veterans who have a history of homelessness and substance abuse.
“Especially for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, war-induced trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are leading to a cascade of financial dislocation, family estrangement and homelessness. Extended tours and intensive violence abroad accelerate these effects,” Lyon said. “One in five veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan suffers from PTSD.”
The Jericho Model of stable housing, comprehensive counseling services and ongoing aftercare has resulted in independence for 95 percent of its graduates from all five residences in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York. This example is being followed by similar endeavors across the nation.
