Left with no options, I returned home and began to look for help in one of the worst hit markets of our housing crisis here in Central Florida. And once again became another homeless veterans statistic.
Everyone wants to live here. The rent keeps rising. And there aren’t any policies to protect veterans and long time residents like myself. Chances are you know someone in the same position. The challenges are real and daunting.
Technically, I’ve been struggling for years. But the problem is complicated. Let me explain.
You have to hit rock bottom: If you’re a veteran in Orlando, you’re not going to get help until you’re out on the street. HUD VASH voucher applications are denied otherwise. And with the current state of play, even if you’re eligible for the voucher the process takes months and landlords aren’t in a hurry to take them. More HERE
Pro Activity still helps: When I got home, I didn’t stop moving. I reached out to every agency I could. Unfortunately, for veterans it all has to go through the VA. An organization that at times can feel like an unresponsive monolith. More HERE
Redundant services and not enough helpers: The fact that we’ve got services collecting funding just to give veterans a phone number to the VA is a problem. That money could be going towards groups that are going to bring people to the fight. And in that regard, there aren’t nearly enough workers to help all of the people that need it. More HERE
How do I feel? Pretty bad?: I’m both sad and frustrated by where I’m at. The system that’s in place doesn’t move nearly quickly enough. I feel like if I was just given the opportunities I could start working and climb out of this pit in no time. But you can’t do that without a roof over your head. More personal thoughts HERE
It’s been a rough week. But we keep climbing and we keep fighting. And I’ll continue to tell you about the journey.
Friends. Times are tough. If you’d like to help the blog. You can below. If you have any questions, you can reach me directly Torres.fjr@gmail.com. Thanks