SCANPH Members Awarded Funds from VHHP Program
California is home to the largest veteran population in the nation. Nearly 15,000 California veterans experience homelessness on any given night. Sadly, veterans are overrepresented in the homeless population. It is for this reason that providing affordable housing and permanent supportive housing for our state’s veterans is a major priority of SCANPH’s membership.
The Veteran’s Bond Act of 2008 authorized $900 million in general obligation bonds intended to help veterans procure housing. In 2013, AB 639 restructured the Veteran’s Bond Act of 2008 by authorizing $600 million in existing bond authority to fund multifamily housing for veterans. More recently, Californians overwhelmingly voted in favor of Proposition 1 on the November 2018 ballot – dedicating $1 billion in monies to help veterans have stable, affordable homes.
Earlier this month, the Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program (VHHP) awarded nearly $73 million to fifteen developments across the state to further the mission of providing our state’s veterans with affordable housing. Several SCANPH members were awarded these funds. To date, the program has awarded over $317 million to 71 affordable multifamily rental housing developments committed to serving California veterans and their families. Take a look below at the inspiring SCANPH-member developments made possible by this funding source in the latest round.
A fifth round of awards is expected to be available in fall 2019, providing another opportunity to apply for and receive funds to create additional homes for veterans throughout the state.