This episode of Borne the Battle—a benefits breakdown—features Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF).

SSVF is a program to rapidly rehouse Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. National director of the SSVF program, John Kuhn, joins this episode of Borne the Battle to speak on the following:

  • How the SSVF operates and what resources eligible Veterans can receive (2:18)
  • An overview of the requirements organizations must meet before becoming a provider (5:02)
  • How a local nonprofit can become a partner (6:04)
  • Additional VA resources available for Veterans needing eviction protections, homelessness avoidance, and rapid rehousing resources (8:00)

And unlike many VA-backed programs, enrolling into SSVF does not require any interaction with VA. Instead, an eligible Veteran simply needs to call or email their county’s partnered nonprofit or consumer cooperative to start receiving assistance.


OPEN THIS EXCEL FILE TO FIND YOUR 2022 SSVF PROVIDER

The SSVF Program Office also provides its Shallow Subsidy service. The Shallow Subsidy provides rental assistance to low-income and extremely low-income Veterans who are enrolled in SSVF Rapid Rehousing or Homeless Prevention projects. This service incentivizes recipients to raise their income by fixing the money they receive for two years. That means SSVF recipients can increase their income or benefits without the fear of losing their subsidies.

For Veterans experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness and where SSVF assistance is not sufficient, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program can help. Check out this Borne the Battle episode featuring HUD-VASH national director Meghan Deal for more details.

Additionally, the U.S. Treasury Department also has funds available to assist households unable to pay rent or utilities through its Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

There is a variety of services and programs ready to help Veterans and their families overcome homelessness. However, not enough people know that these programs exist. SSVF aims to close that gap by connecting Veterans with housing support experts in their local communities. These people who can provide relevant and specialized support to meet any eligible Veteran’s needs.

Of course, they need your help spreading the word about their program as well.


Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week:


Additional information

Borne the Battle guest John Kuhn discusses the impacts of rapid re-housing on Veteran populations in a video with the National Alliance to End Homelessness in 2016:


Calvin Wong is an intern with VA’s Digital Media Engagement team. He studies History as an undergraduate at the University of California, Davis.


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9 Comments

  1. Steve Norman February 3, 2022 at 14:15

    Are there any answers for the above (7) seven comments? These are things the highest people in the VA and government need to be told about DAILY.

    Thanks
    Steve

  2. Edward Wilkins January 27, 2022 at 14:17

    In Tennessee HUD-VASH and SSVF are useless outside of ghetto crime areas, Like Memphis, Tn with over 320 Persons Being Killed each Year it’s not Safe Veterans Should Not Have to Go Through This it’s like Being in the War again and is not Fare to the Veterans That Gave their Lives for every one’s Freedom. Rents are higher than what VASH will cover and unless you are destitute SSVF is no help with the Security Deposit and requisite stellar credit score. The apartments they have available you will Still have to 3 times the Rent to get in one. So, if you’re on Disability Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (SSDI) recipients with the average monthly payment at $579.56. This Means you will have to Live, and Die on the Streets This is the Thanks the Veteran Gets for Making the U.S. Free. It’s a travesty of Justice against the American People.

  3. Edward Wilkins January 27, 2022 at 13:50

    The Way the V.A. Helps the Veteran with Housing is a Joke at best it’s like a Section 8 Program No difference at all and the Sad Thing about this is it Does Not Help the Veterans that need it Most, the Veterans who do not have 1,200 Dollars Coming in will not Get Housing. The Section 8 Program that has a Monthly Rent of $300.00 (one third) a Month coming out of whatever you have Coming in Does Not Work for White Veterans. if you only have Disability coming in you will not be able to live in a Section 8 (Veterans Should Be with other Veterans)

  4. PEARLINE B January 20, 2022 at 16:06

    Dennis January 20, 2022, at 12:34 PM

    I completely agree. Whoever created the marketing plan for the VA was probably paid more than what you and I make. I feel and understand your pain. Imagine my situation. I am an 87-year young veteran, widow of a veteran. This is the 3rd time I attended college, I returned each time to update my skills because changes take place so quickly. My grades are excellent. The college and my instructors praised me for returning. Not the VA. I cannot get rental assistance because of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. I have severe permanent chronic health issues. Two strokes, one left me with a permanent disability, a heart attack, FUCH’s Genetic Eye Disease, a cyst in my cornea, and looking to have surgery in the near future. The VA does not care about my struggles and health issues, the guidelines are not their issue. They are under the impression I created inflation, increased rent, and food because of their questions. They are shocked because of the cost. It lets me know ignorance is alive and well in this country. I don’t create laws and make policies. They do not have the guts to ask developers, why the increases, do not ask the food industry the same question. They ask me. necessary. These are the same individuals who never participated in any war or conflict and have no understanding of real life. I can’t begin to tell you how many phone calls and emails I sent, requesting assistance, never receiving a response. All other countries of taken care of and respected their veterans, seniors, and prepared their children with a proper education except that of the U.S.

  5. So Travis Dawson January 20, 2022 at 15:46

    Hi,
    Meaghan Deal and John Kuhn, I am a veteran transferring from Texas to Washington Dc. I am having trouble finding out how to port my information over correctly. I continue to be told you’re not putting right now. I currently am approved for hud/vash. I’m just not able to use it here currently, but the restriction isn’t fully explained to me. I was told to live under a bridge for a year with no explanation. If you could help advise me on transferring my voucher here is appreciate the assistance.

  6. Jim January 20, 2022 at 14:04

    So far it looks like dying and incarceration has done more to solve the Veteran Homeless problem than any VA/Non-Profit solution. In California HUD-VASH and SSVF are useless outside of ghetto crime areas, rents are higher than what VASH will cover and unless you are destitute SSVF is no help with the Security Deposit and requisite stellar credit score. Real help would be to create affordable Veteran Trailer Parks near VA Medical Centers and Clinics. Even California’s Veterans Homes are full with long waiting lists and functioning more like a Hospice and Nursing Home. All these problems are likely true in other high cost of living states/areas.

  7. Walter marchetti January 20, 2022 at 10:46

    All this emphasis is put on people who are having trouble paying the rent there is no mention of a single parent on a fixed income who owns his own home he has the same bills Social Security is nowhere near enough savings accounts I running out

  8. Dennis January 19, 2022 at 19:32

    I have to question the validity of any organization that voices concerns about “Homeless Veterans and their Families”. Homeless Vets do not have Families. Why do you think they are Homeless! I am a vet of the Vietnam war era and feel like I have been screwed over by our government. I was promised health care for the rest of my life when I was ushered through New Jersey in 1968. Only to find out when I retired that I didn’t qualify for any VA health care benefits. So all you do-gooders can now kiss my *ss.

    • Nunya Bidness February 5, 2022 at 15:51

      Hey! Some of us have families. My husband is also a vet. My dad is a vet. My mom lived with a Vietnam Era vet (dad). My husband’s dad (of blessed memory) was a Vietnam era vet too.

      My uncle is a Vietnam era vet. My grandfather (of blessed memory) fought in WWII.

      So military service is a proud tradition in our family. Not so proud traditions – PTSD, depression, alcoholism, divorce, abuse, suicidal thoughts, etc.

      Who do you turn to when everyone else is fighting the same battle? When interacting worsens everyone’s mental problems? Or drug problem?

      My husband and I chose not having kids to save them from being born into our families.

      Having a family isn’t always helpful.

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