Be The Story: CitiLeaf Supportive Housing

It has been about 60 days since coming to Borden Avenue Veterans Residence (BAVR) and I am a better navigator for it. The agencies that are responsible and assisting the various processes are all ultimately linked in some fashion or another. I was first processed into the NYC Dept of Homeless Services at the primary intake center in Manhattan.

I was then referred to BAVR and because I am eligible and receiving compensation, I was put into one of 200 6x9ft cubicles with locking doors and fairly soft bed. There are also about 100 open bay bunks for those who may not be eligible for VA benefits, but still provided the same shelter services as anyone but also in an atmosphere of acceptance regardless of veteran status.

It can get overwhelming with all the different approaches to the same successful outcome which is stable long-term housing. I have already secured one voucher from an agency HASA and I have been referred to another agency, Citileaf, for long-term supportive housing in an atmosphere I think will be safe for me and also close to the various agencies and organizations I most want to work with.

The other voucher is HUD/VASH or Section 8 for Veterans. It’s the same if a veteran applies for government employment, the veteran gets 10 points. For the purposes of this posting, it’s basically the same thing. For anyone not believing that veterans deserve a little extra consideration, I challenge them to stay in a veteran’s homeless shelter for a week.

From what I am being told from Citileaf is because of the supportive housing: kitchen, social worker and related staff and resources, both the HASA voucher and the HUD/VASH voucher are necessary to obtain the studio apartment on my wish list. And although I have as much effort as possible to secure this, the idea of losing a forever federally-backed HUD/VASH voucher is too important at this point. Besides, there are must worse living situations than hanging out with a bunch of other veterans with issues like mine or worse.

For those veterans seeking vouchers for housing, it is important to check with each participating agency to verify that using one voucher; in my case, the HASA voucher is only good for the five boroughs of NYC. won’t disqualify the veteran for the HUD/VASH voucher which can be used anywhere in the United States. In most cases, if the veteran accepts and uses one voucher, they are no longer considered homeless and the HUD/VASH program is no longer relevant.

The moment the veteran becomes homeless, contact the VA to start the process of obtaining the voucher. The veteran will need: birth certificate, ss card, DD-214, bank statements, the award letter for the veteran collecting benefits or compensation, letters from therapists and doctors in support of a particular living situation best suited to what the needs of the veteran require. If possible, assemble a packet (pdf) as an attachment to any emails.

This veteran is being ‘presented’ to the higher ups tomorrow. The process is supposed to take about 2-3 months, so get started early.

Be The Story: CitiLeaf Supportive Housing (1 page)