Press Releases
07/31/2016
Gov. Malloy, Lt. Gov. Wyman, State Officials Applaud a Nearly 50 Percent National Decline in Veteran Homelessness
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) Commissioner Evonne M. Klein, and Connecticut Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Commissioner Sean M. Connolly are applauding an announcement made today by the Obama Administration that the country has seen a nearly 50 percent decline in homelessness among veterans since 2010.
They noted that the national decline was likely augmented by recent, significant efforts in Connecticut over the last several years to address this issue. In February, the State of Connecticut received certification from the federal government that it had become one of only two states in the nation whose efforts to ensure housing for veterans has resulted in effectively ending homelessness among veterans in the state, and that whenever a new episode of homelessness occurs, adequate services are available to ensure that it is brief and non-recurring.
"Connecticut has been a national leader in ending veteran homelessness and we are proud of the significant role our state has played in helping the nation reach this major milestone," Governor Malloy said. "It is our responsibility to ensure the brave men and women who have served our country have all the support they need upon returning home, including access to housing, healthcare, and career opportunities."
"Honoring the service and sacrifices of our military personnel continues long after they leave the battlefield. In Connecticut and across the nation, it means investing in housing, expanding employment opportunities, and improving the resources to support veterans when they're back in their communities," Lt. Governor Wyman said. "These numbers represent real progress for our veterans and for the nation."
"The coordinated system we have built in Connecticut to quickly identify and rapidly house homeless veterans, is made up of our federal, state, and local government partners as well a large network of non-profit providers," DOH Commissioner Klein said. "It is because of the dedicated frontline staff, who have made it their mission to bring about an end to all homelessness, that Connecticut was the first state in the nation to end chronic veteran homelessness, and the second state to effectively end all veteran homelessness. I'm proud of what we have accomplished for our veterans. Under the Malloy Administration, the State of Connecticut is a recognized national leader in preventing and ending homelessness, and has been recognized for creating an unprecedented amount of affordable housing since 2011."
"For more than 150 years, Connecticut has led the nation with support for its veterans. In 1864, the first veterans' home in the country was established for soldiers returning home from the Civil War," DVA Commissioner Connolly said. "It is this pioneering spirit of Connecticut's leadership and the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies that have continued this long-standing tradition with effective procedures providing affordable, supportive housing and ending veteran homelessness in the state."
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