Creating new permanent supported housing for homeless and disabled veterans in a Federal-State partnership on State Veterans Home campus in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Prince Home at Manteno is a permanent supported housing program for homeless and disabled veterans located at the State Veterans' Home in Manteno, Illinois and is a "first" for the state. In 2006, Governor Blagojevich announced his vision for a new pilot program to give homeless Illinois veterans housing and assistance at the State's Manteno Veterans' Home. The newly renovated Prince Home at Manteno provides housing and supportive services for 15 disabled, homeless Illinois veterans, providing a model for how to overcome challenges in financing housing for disabled veterans, including veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Manteno campus is located in rural Kankakee County, Illinois, 40 miles south of Chicago.

The new Illinois resource opens its doors to male and female veterans just as more than 200 new permanent housing vouchers targeted to homeless veterans were also awarded to Illinois communities through the 2008 HUD-VASH program, which is making more than 10,000 newly- funded vouchers available across the country.

Work on the Prince Home began in 2006, and the new site opened in November 2007 to provide permanent housing, advocacy, therapeutic and supportive services for 15 veterans. The new housing facility is wheelchair accessible and provides residential housing for eligible men and women veterans. It offers a community environment within its therapeutic milieu, one of structure, interdependence and care and concern. Volunteer work, employment and treatment are components of the Prince Home model.

New residents are now moving in. The Prince Home is staffed by a program director, a caseworker, two addiction counselors, and one psychiatric nurse. Seventy-five percent of the veterans in the program are homeless individuals referred by federal VA medical centers and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. The additional 25 percent of residents are homeless veterans referred by the Veterans' Assistance Commission and community providers.

Illinois veterans who are homeless and living with disabilities benefit from the new single permanent housing units that provide stable housing with services, including semi-private bathrooms, kitchenettes, new carpet, and on-site laundry facilities.

The State of Illinois government benefits by partnering state and federal housing resources in a renovation initiative that maximizes use of a state veterans campus.

The community benefits by ending the homelessness of individuals who have served their country and are living with mental and physical disabilities, making them vulnerable and expensive to community infrastructure and veterans programs.

The community benefits from advancing the implementation of Governor Blagojevich's housing goals for homeless and veterans populations, as called for in the 2007 Annual Comprehensive Housing Plan, which is based on three principles: affordability and choice; creation and preservation; and leadership.

Notes the Housing Plan, which focuses on the needs of both persons who are homeless and veterans: " . . . it is critical for policymakers at all levels of government and in all types of communities to guide and promote housing as fundamental to community and economic health. Leadership requires accountability through identifying priorities, setting goals for the use of resources that reflect these priorities, and reporting on production."

Fifteen formerly homeless veterans living with disabilities are now moving into permanent supported housing at the Prince Home. The housing initiative costs the State less than $7,000 per year, per veteran in operating and supportive service expenses.

The Prince Home tapped into state and federal resources to create new permanent supported housing, renovating and improving a site on the State Veterans Home campus. The new housing adds capacity to state veterans initiatives in health care, income, and employment.

"The Prince Home is an example of the political will and leadership of a Governor who is focused on housing solutions for homeless people and veterans, and state agencies with leaders such as Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth and Housing Development Authority Director Dibble who are partnered to end the homelessness of their poorest and most vulnerable neighbors," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "Combining state resources with federal investment to create new housing is good for everyone, housed and homeless alike."

Governor Ron Blagojevich and Illinois state agencies for housing and veterans affairs successfully coupled $1.3 million from state and federal investment for the renovation of the Prince Home. Federal investment included resources awarded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director L. Tammy Duckworth and Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Executive Director Kelly King Dibble partnered to create the new housing. The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) allocated $816,000 from the State Affordable Housing Trust Fund following on Gov. Blagojevich's 2005 Building for Success: Illinois Comprehensive Housing Plan which identified the homeless community, including homeless war veterans, as one of the priority populations targeted for affordable housing spending. The Illinois Veterans Foundation provided pre- development capital for the initiative.

To learn more about the Prince Home, contact the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, Homeless and Disabled Program Director Deanna Mackey
Phone: 815- 468-6581

To learn more about Veterans Care, the state's program to provide comprehensive, affordable healthcare to Illinois' uninsured veterans who have the least access to reliable healthcare, cannot currently access Veterans Health Administration's benefits, and who meet specific income requirements, visit their site.

To learn more about Governor Ron Blagojevich's initiatives for veterans, including Veterans Cash, an Illinois lottery ticket where 100 percent of proceeds ($4 million as of Nov. 2007) go to support Illinois veterans, visit their site.

To read the 2007 Illinois Comprehensive Housing Plan, visit the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

To learn more about the federal HUD-VASH permanent housing voucher program for homeless veterans, visit the HUD Veteran Resource Center (HUDVET) or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

To learn more about The State Home Program partnership between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the States to construct or acquire nursing home, domiciliary and/or adult day health care facilities, visit www.va.gov.

20 in 20, A Month of Innovations, continues on Monday with a Special Issue focused on:

Philanthropic Investment to End Chronic Homelessness: Cost Benefit Analysis Shows Housing First RI Results

Don't miss a single episode during this 20 in 20 Month of Innovations . . . but, if you do, you can always access the Council's "on demand" service and catch up. Just visit our web site at www.usich.gov/innovations

email: ichnews@setechnology.com

web: http://www.usich.gov