#Middlebury #Veterans #LegalServices #Homeless
VETERANS POST
By Freddy Groves
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently handed out over $11 million to 79 organizations to cover legal services for veterans who are either homeless or about to be homeless. The Legal Services for Veterans Grant Program, a component of the Veterans Justice Program, handles a wide variety of legal matters, and these funds will go a long way toward keeping veterans from being homeless. In a given year, at least 10% of funds must go to legal services for women veterans.
Whether it’s specific housing issues (dealing with landlords in eviction disputes, for example), criminal defense, family law (such as haggling over custody or child support) or discharge upgrade, any of those issues (and others) can keep a veteran from acquiring and keeping stable housing. The stats for one year (2022) show just how serious the housing problems can be: The VA put 40,000 homeless veterans into housing, kept 17,000 veterans from becoming homeless and helped 191,000 veterans avoid foreclosure and keep their homes.
An added bonus is that many of those legal service providers have set up shop in VA facilities doing pro bono (free) work on all types of legal matters. Check www.va.gov/HOMELESS/lsv/MLP_LC_List.pdf for the list of the facilities and what services each provides.
If you find services at a VA facility near you, read the fine print. Some have gone to remote appointments only, most have only certain days of the month that they’re open, and each has a list of which services you can get. While one might list criminal cases and IRS disputes, another only lists civil matters or bankruptcy and consumer debt. Some of them note that they prioritize homelessness. Still, each has a contact person noted. While most are legal aid organizations, a few are run as clinical programs for law schools.
To see a list of the newest grantees who’ve received grant funds for homeless veterans or veterans at risk for homelessness, go to www.va.gov/HOMELESS/lsv/LSV-H_Award_list.pdf.
Rule of thumb: If you suspect you’re about to become homeless, don’t delay getting help.
© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
