GOV. MALLOY ENCOURAGES LANDLORDS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INITIATIVE HELPING HOMELESS VETERANS FIND HOUSING

Info Summit for Landlords to be Held December 9 in Middletown

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy is encouraging landlords from throughout the state to attend an informational summit on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 that will provide information on how they can take advantage of a federal-state initiative aimed at ending homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015. The free event will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Armed Forces Reserve Center on 375 Smith Street in Middletown. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.

Landlords and other community stakeholders will learn about the state's campaign to end veteran homelessness from Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and VA Medical Healthcare System Director Gerald Culliton, among others. Landlords will also receive the most up-to-date information from other federal and state officials on how they can utilize growing resources to accept as tenants those veterans who have fallen on hard times.

"We can reach our goal of eliminating homelessness among veterans in our state," said Governor Malloy. "By working with landlords on these initiatives, we can change the lives of veterans who deserve a place to call home."

Housing resources that will be discussed at the summit include assistance provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs supportive housing program (HUD-VASH), the state Rental Assistance Program (RAP), and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families rapid re-housing program (SSVF).

These programs provide subsidies and hands-on case management for veterans recovering from homelessness, helping them get back on their feet and re-integrate into their communities. They are set up to ensure these veterans succeed in their housing. Moreover, they include several incentives to landlords such as guaranteed income, free advertising through a pool of ready-to-house tenants, and neutral case management to prevent any potential problems.

"Ensuring our veterans have safe housing is a priority, and it is key to helping them rebuild their lives," said Lt. Governor Wyman. "This initiative facilitates critical connections between landlords and the information and resources they need. Most importantly, it brings us a step closer to ending homelessness among veterans and ensuring education, job training, and other supports get to the men and women who have given so much in service to this country."

"Landlords are a key part of our fight to make sure that no one who has sacrificed to protect our nation is without access to safe, quality housing," said Connecticut Department of Housing Commissioner Evonne Klein. "This summit is an important opportunity to learn more about these programs and how landlords can partner with us in these initiatives. Additionally, we hope that those who are unable to attend will contact one of our landlord outreach coordinators to discuss their potential participation in this effort to end veteran homelessness."

The summit is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in partnership with the Office of the Governor, the Connecticut Department of Housing, the Connecticut Heroes Project, the Partnership for Strong Communities, and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.

Those who are unable to attend the summit but would like to discuss their potential participation in this historic effort can contact their locally assigned VA/SSVF Landlord Outreach Coordinator. Those contacts, based on county, are:

• Hartford County: Amy Robinson, Community Renewal Team (CRT) . 860-778-2438, robinsona@crtct.org

• New Haven and Middlesex Counties: Pia Briscoe, Columbus House . 855-626-3310 ext. 7005, pbriscoe@columbushouse.org

• Fairfield County: Pam Ralston, Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH). 203-464-3254, pralston@cceh.org

• New London County: John Chiechi, VA. 203-479-8042, john.chiechi@va.gov

• Litchfield, Tolland and Windham Counties: Dan Walsh, Veterans, Inc. 860-335-7679, danielwalsh@veteransinc.org

  ** Download : Flyer for the 2014 VA Connecticut Homeless Summit