Governor Hassan, Harbor Homes and NHHFA Announce Housing Choice Vouchers to Veterans Initiative

Press Release

Continuing her efforts to support New Hampshire's veterans and end veteran homelessness, Governor Maggie Hassan joined Harbor Homes and the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA) to announce the Housing Choice Vouchers to Veterans initiative.

Through a memorandum of agreement that became effective on March 1, 2016, NHHFA will provide 25 Housing Choice Vouchers so that veterans served through Harbor Homes' transitional housing program can graduate to permanent housing in the community and, in turn, open beds for other veterans who are currently homeless.

"Our veterans have sacrificed bravely in defense of our freedom, and we must always work to ensure that they receive the full support that they deserve," Governor Hassan said. "It is simply unacceptable that veterans are more likely than other Americans to be chronically homeless, and this partnership will help build on our efforts to ensure that all of our veterans can live independently and contribute to our economic and civic life."

Funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program - which aims to provide safe, decent, sanitary and affordable housing to low-income households -- the new initiative builds on Harbor Homes' and NHHFA's long history of collaboration to provide affordable housing opportunities to underserved populations in southern New Hampshire. The program also builds on the State's "Ask the Question" campaign with veterans' organizations and service providers across the state, including Harbor Homes, which seeks to identify veterans and connect them with resources, services and other programs.

"Harbor Homes is committed to working with stakeholders across New Hampshire to achieve Functional Zero among our homeless veteran population," said Peter Kelleher, president and CEO of Harbor Homes. "I want to thank Governor Hassan and New Hampshire Housing for working with us to launch this new initiative that will transition 25 veterans to permanent housing and open beds at Harbor Homes for other veterans who are currently homeless."

"We are proud to support this critical initiative by providing Housing Choice Vouchers to veterans through Harbor Homes," NHHFA Executive Director Dean Christon said. "We have a long history of collaborating with Harbor Homes to provide affordable housing opportunities to underserved populations in southern New Hampshire, and we thank Governor Hassan for working with us to make the Housing Choice Vouchers initiative to support homeless veterans a reality."

The Federal Housing Choice Voucher initiative provides eligible low-income individuals or households with assistance in paying their rent. Participating households must have incomes at or below 50 percent of the median area income and rent an apartment or home that meets minimum quality standards and has a monthly rent within certain limits. The New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority administers the program on a statewide basis and provides approximately 3,500 vouchers to families, seniors and disabled persons across the state. The program is also administered at the local level by 17 public housing authorities throughout the state.

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