Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has committed $500,000 to the Long Beach Homeless Veterans Initiative Program, Hahn’s office announced this week.

The Long Beach Homeless Veterans Initiative (HVI) Program, which began in 2008, conducts street outreach to homeless veterans in Long Beach and connects them to employment services, provides benefits advocacy as well as transitional, followed by permanent housing.

“The City of Long Beach has frequently identified this program as integral to their success in dramatically reducing their homeless veteran population,” the announcement stated. “The $500,000 will fund two outreach workers who will connect with homeless veterans across the City of Long Beach as well as a case manager dedicated to connecting these veterans with services and housing.”

 

“The most recent homeless count was disturbing by any measure but the increase in veteran homelessness stood out as a huge disappointment,” Supervisor Hahn said in a statement. “The Long Beach Homeless Veterans Initiative is doing good and important work getting these heroes off the streets. I am proud to give this program the funding it needs to continue connecting homeless veterans with the services they need to put their lives back together.”

Hahn also dedicated $860,000 out of her office’s Homeless Prevention Initiative Fund to Gateway Cities Council of Governments, to fund their contract with People Assisting the Homeless (PATH). The funding will go toward paying outreach workers, PATH staff, who connect homeless individuals across Gateway Cities with mental health care, drug abuse services and both temporary and permanent housing.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].