Daniel* is a veteran in his mid-40s, who arrived at the Salvation Army Carr P. Collins Social Service Center in June of this year, in the midst of our Veterans Challenge. During the Veterans Challenge, which began May 1, 2019, MDHA challenged itself, its partners, and the Dallas community at large to come together to house, at least, 100 veterans in 100 days. (We ended up helping 140 veterans end their homelessness, but that’s a separate story.)
The official Veterans Challenge “Thermometer” at the Dallas HUD-VASH Program
Daniel was a little down on his luck. He had no job and no income. He was determined, however, to better his situation. He was actively working with Veteran Employment Services (VESO), to find a job. He heard about the HUD-VASH program and was happy to discover that this program could help him get into housing.
Now, HUD-VASH may sound like a skin condition, but it is not. HUD-VASH stands for Housing and Urban Development – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD provides housing and the VA provides supportive services to not only end a veteran’s homelessness but ensure they will not return to homelessness.
Daniel very much appreciated the programming and people helping him at the Salvation Army, and he appreciated their commitment to the Housing First philosophy. He understood that he really needed to get into housing. Not only would that be more conducive to a productive job search; it would make him more attractive to employers and help him hold down the job he found. With housing in place and a job to earn him income, he could start building up some savings too.
With the help of Helen, his Salvation Army case manager, Daniel attended an “Admissions Event” at the VA. These events are designed for veterans to have their status verified, and unlock benefits available to them, including HUD-VASH housing vouchers. He then attended a “Veterans Blitz” at the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA). At the Veterans Blitz, Daniel was able to meet with the folks at DHA and receive a HUD-VASH voucher.
Now, normally, once a veteran receives a voucher, they must then go out and hunt for an apartment. Though, under Dallas city ordinance, it is illegal to refuse to accept a veteran’s housing voucher, with the current Dallas rental housing market occupancy rate, it is still a challenge to find housing.
Not so in this case! As part of the Veterans Blitz, MDHA and DHA had invited property managers in for a “Landlord Fair”. Daniel was able to apply for housing, without even leaving the DHA building. He personally chose the Tuscany Apartments, which are managed by WAK Management, who received honorable mention at MDHA’s Landlord Appreciation Luncheon, earlier this year.
HUD-VASH vouchers are granted, with the understanding that veterans must pay a portion of the rent equal to 30% of their income. In Daniel’s case, that meant he would not have to worry about paying any of the rent himself, until he found a job. (If you remember your elementary school math, 30% of $0= $0.) However, the Tuscany Apartments still required a $150 rental security deposit, which potentially could have been a snag, since Daniel did not have any savings either.
Fortunately, four years earlier, MDHA had launched the MDHA Flex Fund, in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas (UWMD), who seeded the fund with $38,742. It is designed to pay for minor but impactful expenditures that can help folks end their homelessness quickly and permanently, including rental security deposits. In fact, in UWMD FY 2019, almost $20,000 of the fund’s assistance went to rental security deposits.
All Helen had to do was fill out a simple one-page Flex Fund request form, with Daniel’s information, the solution needed, the cost and vendor, a clear articulation of how this solution would help Daniel end his homelessness, and an explanation of why other resources could not provide the solution.
MDHA is particular about the last point, as the Flex Fund is designed as a fund of last resort. This prevents service duplication and waste of funds. Daniel, on his own volition, consulted with Salvation Army staff to see if they had funds available to pay for the rental security deposit. They did not, and they referred him to 211. He called 211, and they did not have funding for this. He then connected with our partner, Endeavors, and they too did not have funds available for rental security deposits.
MDHA staff were on hand at the Veterans Blitz with Flex Fund forms ready for just this type of eventuality. Since Daniel had done his homework and could well articulate not only how the security deposit would help him end his homelessness, but why there were no other resources to pay for it, Helen suggested that he fill out a rough draft, of the form. Helen then used Daniel’s verbiage, filled out the form, signed it and had her supervisor, Steve, countersign it.
With that, Daniel and the folks at the Tuscany Apartments were ready to go. They filled out all the necessary paperwork, and the apartment was inspected and passed DHA muster. A contract was signed between DHA and WAK Management, and a check from the MDHA Flex Fund made out to the Tuscany Apartments was delivered.
Daniel moved in just a few days ago, and his homelessness ended. We think that his gumption and tenacity, which helped him end his homelessness, will serve him well, in finding a job, building up savings, and making further progress in his life. We salute you, Daniel, and we thank you for your service. We’re just happy we were able to play one small part in helping you get back on your own two feet.
* Daniel’s real name isn’t Daniel, and a couple of details have been changed. Then again, you probably assumed that already…
