Arizona provides $500K to combat veteran homelessness
May 7, 2021, 5:00 PM
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and the state’s Department of Housing announced Thursday $500,000 for the United States Veterans Initiative.
The funding comes from the Crises Contingency and Safety Net Fund and will support the initiative’s efforts to ensure veterans experiencing homelessness have safe, adequate living conditions.
The $500,000 will allow the U.S. Vets to complete the immediate health, safety and occupancy needs for its program and operations to move to a facility in downtown Phoenix later this year.
In 2019, about 802 veterans in Arizona identified as homeless.
The announcement came the day after Ducey appointed Tom Simplot as the new director of the ADOH and Wednesday’s announcement of $503 million in new federal funding to address homelessness and housing instability throughout Arizona.
“Veteran homelessness is a national problem that we’re tackling head on in Arizona,” Simplot, the ADOH director, said in a press release.
“Providing veterans with resources, shelter and protection is a must — and I’m proud that this is the first project I’m taking on as director.”