Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
03/10/2011 09:30 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Hearing: Homelessness Among Veterans | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 7 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 10, 2011
9:32 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Bill Wielechowski, Chair
Senator Joe Paskvan, Vice Chair
Senator Kevin Meyer
Senator Catherine Giessel
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Albert Kookesh
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 7
"An Act relating to the civil rights of felons."
- MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE on 3/8/11
HEARING ON HOMELESSNESS AMONG VETERANS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
RICK DAVIDGE, Chairman
Alaska Veterans Foundation
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented commentary on homelessness among
veterans.
TREVOR STORRS, Co-chair
Anchorage Coalition on Homelessness
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented commentary on homelessness among
veterans.
SUSAN BOMALASKI, Executive Director
Catholic Social Services
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented commentary on homelessness among
veterans.
ACTION NARRATIVE
9:32:38 AM
CHAIR BILL WIELECHOWSKI called the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting to order at 9:32 a.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Giessel, Paskvan, Meyer, and Chair
Wielechowski.
^Hearing: homelessness among veterans
Homelessness Among Veterans
9:34:23 AM
Chair Wielechowski announced the committee would hold a hearing
on homelessness among veterans. Presenters will discuss the
challenges of meeting the needs of homeless veterans in Alaska.
RICK DAVIDGE, Chairman, Alaska Veterans Foundation (AVF), said
it is time to look at what role the state should play in ending
homelessness among veterans in Alaska. The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the President last year launched a five-year
initiative to end homelessness for veterans. This could provide
an opportunity for the state to leverage some federal funds. He
said he had given committee members an outline of key questions;
the number of homeless veterans in Alaska is uncertain, but
there are probably 80 to 100 in the Anchorage area at any given
time.
The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that about 600
homeless veterans live in Alaska, but this number is based on a
formula, not on actual information. Anchorage has the largest
homeless population in the state. The mayor's leadership team is
looking at the overall problem. The federal, state, and local
governments spend billions of dollars each year trying to solve
the homeless problem. Governments have done a pretty good job of
building transitional housing. The majorities of people who
become homeless receive services, get out of the system, and
don't come back. About 20 percent become the chronic homeless. A
large number of veterans are in that group.
9:38:46 AM
Of the homeless deaths in Anchorage in the last two years, 25
percent were veterans, yet veterans only make up eight percent
of the overall population. Professionals say that the high
numbers of homeless veterans are due to mental health problems,
such as post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries,
combined with the tendency to self medicate in order to deal
with pain. This leads to chronic alcohol or drug use.
The Domiciliary is a VA transitional housing program and
treatment center. They do a very good job and have dramatically
improved their success rate in Anchorage over the last three
years. Clients can spend as long as a year in their program.
After they finish the program, many are still unable to care for
themselves and end up coming back three or four months later.
This is why the AVF is putting forward the idea of long term
supportive housing. Long term supportive housing is very simple.
It is a place that is warm and safe which provides some kind of
structured assistance, with nationally accredited Veterans
Service Officers on site.
One proposal in the AVF's package, called "VetCity," deals with
a group of 28 cabins located on property that AVF is trying to
acquire. There is no limit on how long clients can stay but they
do have to work and make a contribution to the cost of the
facilities. Housing First is just getting started in Anchorage.
This is the most effective way to get the chronic homeless off
the streets and begin to provide services for them. The
combination of a Housing First type program and long term
supportive housing would create an effective way to get homeless
veterans off the street.
Many say the issue of homeless veterans is a federal problem. If
a veteran has a service connected disability that is true. But
mental disabilities are not always immediately evident. Many
veterans have problems with post traumatic stress, and still
have difficulty accessing services from the VA. Mr. Davidge
asked, "What is the role of the state?" The state could help
fill the funding gap for the VetCity and Housing First projects.
9:44:19 AM
TREVOR STORRS, Co-chair, Anchorage Coalition on Homelessness,
said that Housing First and VetCity are two very important
projects. Project Homeless Connect serves about 650-700 each
year; approximately 15 percent of them are veterans. The
veterans fall into two groups: chronic inebriates, and families
who have veteran status. In the area of chronic homeless
inebriates, the number one national best practice is Housing
First. It is not about drinking or not drinking. It is about
housing. People can't address their substance abuse issues until
they have housing. It has been hugely successful in the lower
48. Alaska is part of the U.S. and we are very much the same.
Housing First can be successful here. AHFC is a big component,
but they need more dollars.
Families are the second part. Many of the armed services
families use the food bank and other social services even while
they are in the service. After leaving the military these
families often end up homeless. Because they have been stationed
far from home, they don't have families to double up with. Many
access shelter programs. The state needs more affordable
housing. The cost of living is a huge factor. In Anchorage a
person needs to make just under $19 an hour, working 40 hours a
week, to afford a two bedroom apartment. Unless they have two
earners, low wage families are barely making it. Most low-income
veteran families struggle and are unable to access or maintain
any type of housing.
Providing affordable housing is the biggest role the state can
play. Capital project funding and helping to build affordable
housing would provide employment in the state. Affordable
housing reduces crime, increases school attendance, and improves
the overall health of the community.
9:49:37 AM
Another thing the state could do is create a voucher program for
housing subsidies; however, a voucher is not helpful if there is
no housing available.
SENATOR GIESSEL asked what the recidivism rate is for the
Domiciliary.
MR. DAVIDGE replied they tried to get that figure but the VA
doesn't keep numbers. For the most part, supportive services are
provided by the VA. Facilities are the biggest problem, not
services.
SENATOR PASKVAN asked what the number of homeless veterans in
Anchorage is, and do we have the numbers for other regions of
the state.
9:52:19 AM
SUSAN BOMALASKI, Executive Director, Catholic Social Services,
said there are high numbers of veterans at the Brother Francis
shelter. Last year 524 of the 3,100 clients at the Brother
Francis Shelter were veterans. Many of them are working but
can't move out because they can't find affordable housing.
Anchorage has the highest percentage of veterans per capita in
Alaska. In 2009 the Point in Time Count showed there were 259
homeless veterans in Anchorage. The Alaska Homeless Management
Information System reports 450 individuals, and 42 veteran head
of household families. Information from AHFC shows the total
number of very low income veterans is 285 families who live in
public housing or have a voucher.
Another 313 families are at risk of homelessness because they
can't get a voucher. According to the 2009 American Community
Survey, there are 1,353 veteran family members in Alaska living
below the poverty line and at risk of homelessness due to the
lack of affordable housing. Supportive services are available
for veterans, but not for their family members.
9:56:05 AM
Catholic Social Services has recently applied for a new grant
which will to help to serve veteran families with children as
well as individual veterans. Long term permanent housing is the
top unmet need. In terms of what the state can do to help,
affordable housing is at the top of the list. Supportive housing
for individual veterans is important; augmenting supportive
services are also essential. Catholic Social Services has asked
for two case managers to manage 50 families. This program
provides rental subsidies for only 6 months; then the families
will be on their own. One-on-one case management and supportive
services is the key to success for these families.
SENATOR PASKVAN asked about the numbers of homeless veterans
statewide, and what regions they are in.
10:00:30 AM
MR. DAVIDGE said there are varying definitions of homeless
veterans. The AVF is struggling to define who and where they
are. This is something the state could help with, in terms of
predevelopment work for housing projects. Many times the numbers
are run by formulas instead of actual counts. The rescue Mission
in Fairbanks is very active in looking at this problem.
In the VA program, there is a HUD voucher program which is only
available to veterans. There are also grants which pay 65
percent of the cost of construction. This is a way of leveraging
state strategy to bring in federal dollars. Nationally
Accredited Veterans' Service Officers can help veterans to
access services and benefits and steer them towards available
social services.
10:03:05 AM
SENATOR PASKVAN said he is trying to understand the magnitude of
the homeless veteran problem on a state-wide basis.
MS. BOMALASKI answered there 259 homeless vets in all of Alaska,
and 145 in Anchorage. That was from the Point in Time count in
2010. So Anchorage has over half the homeless veteran
population.
MR. DAVIDGE noted when AVF members go to the homeless camps they
find many homeless veterans who have come to Anchorage from
other parts of the state hoping to receive services.
10:05:39 AM
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI said his staff will try to obtain more
statewide data.
SENATOR GIESSEL asked if the presenters had any cost figures for
a homeless veteran in Anchorage, and what the savings would be
if that person was in a Housing First type program.
MR. STORRS said there is no formal study in Alaska, but in
Seattle the costs range from $100,000-$150,000 per person per
year if they are chronically homeless. In the Housing First
project, the cost is $25,000-$30,000. The state doesn't actually
start seeing money, but the resources don't have to grow as
quickly. Social services can be focused in other areas. This
slows growth in spending. Emergency rooms aren't flooded; the
police have more time; people access better support services and
start giving back to the community. Some are able to pay back
restitution. All of this leads to a healthier community.
10:09:05 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL said she understands that Anchorage City Church
is a partner with the city of Anchorage. She noted the increase
in the number of single mothers who are homeless veterans, and
asked if the church is housing them.
MS. BOMALASKI responded City Church has launched its program for
single mothers (called Beacon Hill) and it is full. She is not
sure how many are veterans, but she could find out. City Church
is also helping with the emergency cold weather plan for
homeless families with children. She said she would get numbers
for the committee.
MR. DAVIDGE said a growing number of female veterans are
becoming divorced within 18 months of separation from the
service; this is accelerating the homeless problem.
MS. BOMALASKI responded the new supportive service for families
grant would help.
10:10:59 AM
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked what two or three things the
legislature or the state could do this year to help solve the
veteran homeless problem.
MR. DAVIDGE replied there is currently an opportunity to
leverage state funding with federal funding. The AVF is
encouraging the state to step forward. AVF has put together a
$300,000 pre-development study which develops in full all of the
needed facilities in the Anchorage area. This sets up a five-
year financial sustainability plan which enables the facilities
to be built and maintained. There is a lot of federal money
available right now for the needs of veterans. If the state will
participate as a partner, veterans' organizations can leverage
other grants.
MR. STORRS noted in addition to the project described by Mr.
Davidge, the state can look at how to better utilize AHFC to
help. The state takes a lot of money from AHFC and puts it into
the general fund. The state needs to promote developers building
affordable housing, and AHFC can help with that.
MS. BOMALASKI said with the two percent vacancy rate and high
wages required for fair market rent, there is almost no
affordable housing available. She also mentioned the need for
supportive services.
10:14:07 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Wielechowski adjourned the Senate State Affairs Standing
Committee meeting at 10:14 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Homeless Vets - Program brochure update 2011.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| 2-26-11 Point in Time Count ANCH.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| 5thHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| Homeless Vets - FOOD FOR THOUGHT.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| Conceptual Cabin Layouts 1-3-11 (2).pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| Homeless Vets - NCHV Homeless Issues and Solutions for new vets.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| National Report on Ending Homelessness for America's Veterans.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| Homeless Vets -Vet City Complex 21590.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| Homeless Vets - Muni CSP Data thru 2009.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |
| Homeless Vets - 1-25-11 new proposal, ANCH Pjt funding request to Congess.pdf |
SSTA 3/10/2011 9:30:00 AM |
Homeless Veterans Hearing |