Mayor Karen Bass highlighted the new partnership between U.S.VETS and the Mayor’s Fund to prevent veteran from becoming homeless. (photo courtesy of Mayor Karen Bass’ office)

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on April 9 joined the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles and U.S.VETS to announce a partnership that will help prevent veterans from falling into homelessness.

The mayor also discussed an upcoming advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., where she and the U.S. Conference of Mayors Task Force on Homelessness will lead a bipartisan group of more than 40 mayors from across the country. The group will meet with members of the Biden administration, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to advance federal policy to bring unhoused veterans indoors and to keep low-income veterans from becoming homeless.

“For far too long, government and nonprofit sectors have worked independently on efforts to prevent homelessness,” Bass said. “The Mayor’s Fund’s We Are L.A. homelessness prevention efforts are stretching resources further, reaching more people and helping prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place. The new partnership with U.S.VETS will allow for efficient and effective work to prevent veterans from falling into homelessness and in just a few weeks, mayors from across the country will go to our nation’s capital to advocate for our shared priorities for those who served this country, because it is time for our veterans to receive the housing support and services that they deserve.”

As chair of USCM’s Task Force on Homelessness, Bass is leading the advocacy trip at the end of April. Mayors joining Bass on the trip include USCM president and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, USCM second vice president and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, and Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, chair of USCM’s Community Development and Housing Committee. The mayors will push for securing additional housing vouchers, increasing project-based voucher flexibility to build more permanent and supportive housing, and expanding eligibility of housing vouchers to ensure unhoused veterans are not excluded due to receiving disability income benefits.

“We Are L.A. is helping us reach even more veterans in danger of becoming homeless,” said Stephen Peck, president and CEO of U.S.VETS, a nonprofit veterans advocacy organization. “Many veterans who face homelessness are struggling with physical or mental health issues that can be traced directly back to their service to our country. Others are aging. No matter the reason they’re struggling, we owe a safe, clean place to live to every single person who risked their lives for this country.”

“More than 6,000 eviction notices were filed in February alone. We owe a special debt to veterans,” said Conway Collis, president and CEO of the Mayor’s Fund. “U.S.VETS does crucial work, and more veterans in L.A. will avoid homelessness through this partnership. The fact is, the only way we are ever going to reduce and end homelessness is by preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place.”

Veterans and residents who fear they may risk eviction are encouraged to call the We Are L.A. hotline for help at (213)584-1808. For information, visit mayorsfundla.org.