HOMELESSNESS

Salem veterans get help with rent from federal boost

A federal funding boost will soon give over 30 Salem-area homeless veterans help securing a place to live.

The Salem Housing Authority, Marion County Housing Authority and the Housing and Urban Renewal Agency of Polk County received $330,000 combined from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.

That money will help homeless veterans pay rent.

U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the funds in a statement last week, part of a $1.4 million boost statewide for the voucher program.

“These federal housing vouchers will help homeless veterans across Oregon, helping us deliver on the promise of necessary resources and support for those men and women who wore the uniform. Too many of these heroes struggle to find affordable housing in Oregon, and I’ll keep fighting to deliver critical resources to help ease the burden on veterans searching for a place to call home,” Merkley said in the statement.

The Salem Housing Authority received $233,000 which will pay for 25 new vouchers, said spokeswoman Sarah Murray.

The vouchers ensure that veterans pay no more than 40% of their income toward rent, said Christine Sommer, who manages the vouchers for Marion County in an email to Salem Reporter.

“The idea behind this is not to allow the participant to become rent burdened,” she said.

The Marion County Housing Authority received $57,656 for five new vouchers, which will help rural veterans in the county, said Executive Director Jason Icenbice. He said that brings the authority’s total to 35 veteran vouchers for their jurisdiction, which includes all parts of the county outside the Salem-Keizer urban growth boundary.

The new vouchers will be available starting March 1, and they’re currently taking referrals from the Portland VA’s office, Icenbice said. He said the federal agency will continue to fund the vouchers as long as they’re needed.

Polk County’s housing agency got $39,660, according to the statement.

To get started with the voucher program, HUD recommends contacting the nearest VA medical center and asking about the HUD VASH program. In Salem, that’s the VA Clinic at 1750 McGilchrist St. S.E. #130, at 971-304-2200.

Those interested in the program can call the National Homeless Hotline at 1-877-424-3838 for a list of community resources, said Veterans Affairs spokesman Nick Choy in a statement.

Choy said the VA is also accessible through Mid-Willamette Valley’s network of homeless services, where it works to identify and assist veterans experiencing homelessness.

UPDATE: This story was updated to include information from Veterans Affairs spokesman Nick Choy.

Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.

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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.