The receipt of the letter comes after the closing of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Waitlist, which increased the size of the list substantially to where it now demonstrates a sizeable need for affordable housing. The waitlist is approximately 15% (almost 11,000 families) of the city’s population. Funding and partnerships with developers are critical to housing families within the Wiregrass Metropolitan Area (WMA) and members of the homeless population.

“Our veterans are an integral part of the Wiregrass and deserve to reside in communities where their health and social well-being are held in high regard,” says Dr. Tamara Berry-Andrews, DH CHO. “I am proud that our agency is moving in a direction that is seeking solutions for all of the area’s most vulnerable, which includes veterans.”  

The VASH vouchers answer an overwhelming national homelessness issue concerning our nation’s heroes. The United States Code, specifically Title 42 Chapter 119, subchapter 1, defines homeless as an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

There are over 67,000 homeless veterans nationwide, representing approximately 10.6% of the homeless population nationally. Additionally, veterans are 2x more likely to experience homelessness in the nation than any other group. Statistics such as these are just a few of the primary reasons the program was established in 1992 and why Congress substantially increased funding in 2008, with almost 114,000 Veterans receiving housing through VASH.

DH is proud to help revitalize the community and house those who have sacrificed so much for the nation by using awarded housing funds. For more information on our plans for implementation or partnership opportunities with our agency, please contact Leah Gunn, Communications Coordinator, via email at lgunn@dothanhousing.org or via phone at 334-589-3357.