Some military veterans struggle with homelessness and securing stable housing

The Veteran Community Project in Longmont works with local veterans to secure benefits and housing. Connecting them to resources like housing vouchers and healthcare can be a challenge in and of itself, but the VCP wants to provide assistance to veterans in need.

“We’re the gap-fillers. Whatever service isn’t actually offered, we try to fill in. We’re not trying to step on the toes of these other organizations. I look at it like someone crossing a bridge — there are broken slats on that bridge and I’m holding up a slat here or there to help them get across,” said VCP Colorado Director of Veteran Support Services Cammy Cadwell.

VCP has upwards of 25 active clients in case-management and more that reach out for help in emergencies. Some veterans whom VCP works with are in their 20s, struggling to pay bills while attending school. Others are living in toxic and unhealthy situations and need help getting into a healthier environment, but don’t have the resources on their own. Some have medical issues or disabilities, but run out of emergency medical leave funds. 

As of January 2020, Colorado estimated 9,486 people were actively experiencing homelessness, according to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. A staggering 1,044 are veterans of the U.S. military, some struggling with cognitive issues, loss of memory function and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, or physical disabilities that limit their ability to work. Those struggles, compounded with limited income, can leave service members unhoused and without ready support systems.

“I think it’s really important, I want people to understand that not all the homeless have the same issue. We see some amazing, phenomenal stories from the majority of our veterans. It’s hard to fathom how they led to homelessness,” Cadwell said.

Cadwell, herself a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, said part of those issues stem from the drive for self-sufficiency instilled through basic training. That sense of self-sufficiency and will to survive and overcome can make transition to civilian life difficult for vets, Cadwell said. 

The pride in self-sufficiency and independence can lead to an inability to ask for help, in turn leading to chronic homelessness. Cadwell has seen veterans who have lived out of their cars for nearly a decade, choosing homelessness over asking for help unless warranted by extreme measures.

“If they are on their own, it's easier in a way to live out of their car and stay homeless than to overcome that,” Cadwell said.

Since the pandemic, a high rate of job loss and rising rents have forced some veterans out of stable housing and into the street. High-housing costs, particularly in Boulder County where one-bedroom apartments rent for $1,200-1,500, are a challenge when some veterans only have $800 a month in benefit income. 

The challenge to find housing for veterans can be hard at times. Landlords often do background checks on people before agreeing to lease a property. Some veterans, like many others in Longmont, may have faced a moment that led to an eviction. That eviction can become a black mark on rental history, increasing the likelihood that a landlord or property management company will reject a rental application.

Organizations like VCP and Rocky Mountain Human Services try to support these veterans, Cadwell said, but can’t do the work all on their own if the veterans don’t want help. VCP staff will help the veterans connect to resources, schedule appointments and make necessary calls, but the people have to want the help and be willing to put in the work to the best of their abilities, she said. Street outreach is a key component toward making connections with new clients, along with outreach through partner organizations established in the community, Cadwell added.

VCP staff scour local listings for available apartments that accept housing vouchers from cities like Longmont or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s VA Supportive Housing Program. VCP works with housing specialists in and around Boulder County, but limited inventory and a limited number of available vouchers from local and federal programs adds to the difficulty of connecting veterans with stable, permanent housing. 

Transitional housing is only a temporary solution to help veterans, a costly one at that. Shelter environments aren’t always healthy for veterans who struggle with mental health issues. Finding a space where they are safe and feel safe becomes a priority during severe weather. At times VCP will pay for a hotel room while VCP connects them to resources. This can cost the organization $1,000 a week. 

VCP doesn’t maintain a stable of housing for veterans, though the organization is working with the city of Longmont to create a village of transitional housing to increase support options. The VCP Village will have 26 tiny homes and a community center, able to house more than 30 veterans while VCP and other organizations assist in finding more permanent solutions. Even without the inventory, VCP successfully found permanent homes for 29 veterans since June 2020, predominantly while working from their cars or homes, Cadwell said.

The VCP Village will add to the organization’s existing Outreach Center at 1228 Main Street. Veterans can visit the center for amenities and support, from snacks and hygiene kits to meal kits for housed veterans struggling to make ends meet. VCP’s case management approach also works with veterans to further education and training, apply for work, connect with healthcare and develop a support network, to help veterans find an individual measure of success.

“Success to me is somebody that is in stable housing, someone that has a stable income,” Cadwell said. “Eliminating that stress helps their well-being. Education and training will help them secure that income for the future. Fiscal understanding will help them establish budgets and long term goals. It reduces stress, keeps them safe and helps them provide for all their needs.”

Corrections/Update:

- Corrected the spelling of Cadwell's name in one attribution.

- Made correction to reflect VCP street outreach with partner organizations regarding this sentence:

"Organizations like VCP and Rocky Mountain Human Services try to support these veterans, Cadwell said, but can’t do the work all on their own if the veterans don’t reach out to them."

- Added housing numbers from VCP
"Even without the inventory, VCP successfully found permanent homes for 29 veterans since June 2020, predominantly while working from their cars or homes, Cadwell said."