MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE — As of the end of August, 13 New Jersey mayors — including Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca and South Orange President Alex Torpey — committed to ending homelessness among U.S. Armed Forces veterans in their respective municipalities by end of 2015.
The mayors signed onto the “Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness,” a federal initiative that aims to ensure that every man and woman who has served in the U.S. military has access to permanent housing and the services that will help to maintain a stable home life, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.
The initiative calls on mayors, governors and county officials nationwide to commit to eliminating homelessness among veterans by working with federal and state government agencies, local service providers and housing advocates, according to the release.
“I responded positively to the call by First Lady Michelle Obama to help veterans without homes,” DeLuca told the News-Record last week via email. “I think it is important to respect the contributions these men and women made to our country and to assist them in time of need. While Maplewood does not have homeless veterans on the street, I think we need to do our part in solving this larger societal problem. However I can make a difference, I will try to do so.”
Torpey did not respond to request for comment by press time.
The initiative has been publicly supported by the New Jersey League of Municipalities, Housing and Community Development of New Jersey, and Monarch Housing Associates, among others, according to the release. And more than 200 mayors and state and county officials nationwide have already joined the effort.
Along with DeLuca and Torpey, the following N.J. mayors have signed on to the Mayors Challenge: Steven Fulop of Jersey City, Dawn Zimmer of Hoboken, Jose Torres of Paterson, John Ducey of Brick, John McCormac of Woodbridge, James Fife of Harrison, Thomas Andes of Denville, Thomas Lankey of Edison, Janice Kovach of Clinton, Don Guardian of Atlantic City and Daniel Reiman of Carteret.
“HUD applauds New Jersey’s mayors for their commitment to ending veteran homelessness in the state by 2015,” Holly Leicht, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey, said in the release. “The brave men and women of the military, who have given so much to protect our lives and liberty, deserve to have a place to call home. Through the Mayors Challenge, all levels of government are joining forces to make sure that they do.”
According to Maria Maio-Messano, HUD New Jersey field office director, “Our HUD New Jersey office is ready to provide support and guidance to every municipality in New Jersey to assist in reaching this important goal.
“We work closely with the service providers as well as state and nonprofit entities that receive HUD federal funding to assist the homeless population, and I’m confident that they are also committed to this challenge. With increased focus on the veteran homeless population, together we can make sure needed services continue to reach the men, women and families that need the support that only a stable home can provide.”
According to HUD’s 2013 “Annual Homeless Assessment Report,” New Jersey was among 14 states that saw an increase in the homeless veteran population from the previous year, and ranks among the top five states with such an increase.
“The veteran homelessness population is made up of veterans who served in several different conflicts, ranging from World War II to the recent conflicts,” according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness on its website.
“Though research indicates that veterans who served in the late Vietnam and post-Vietnam era are at greatest risk of homelessness, veterans returning from the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq often have severe disabilities that are known to be correlated with homelessness. And as the military evolves, so too do the challenges. Homeless women veterans, for instance, are far more common now than in any other time in the past.”