Johnson County receives new housing vouchers to assist veterans

Johnson County has received authorization from the federal government to issue new vouchers to assist homeless veterans in Johnson County with rental assistance and intensive case management.

In partnership with the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Homeless Program, the Johnson County Housing Authority has received approval to award five HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program Vouchers to members of the Johnson County community.

Like other housing vouchers provided through the Johnson County Housing Authority, the new vouchers will offer rental assistance to those who qualify. The vouchers also provide intensive case management provided by Veterans Affairs, creating a powerful model for housing stability.

An entry list maintained by Johnson County's Continuum of Care on Homelessness shows there are currently four homeless veterans awaiting services in the county, meaning the new vouchers could potentially serve all the homeless veterans on the current list of need.

The new veterans housing vouchers are the latest effort from the county to address issues along the spectrum of those experiencing housing issues, including a previous effort that dedicated $2.38 million in federal funding toward new housing units for the community's chronic homelessness population. Both these programs offer specific, targeted relief toward a section of the community experiencing homelessness.

The veterans housing voucher program has demonstrated long-term success, with 70% to 85% of participating households remaining stably housed after three years, which is a significantly higher rate than other homelessness interventions.

Eligible households for the new vouchers will be referred to the county through Veterans Affairs. There will not be a wait list for these vouchers, which will not be available to the general public. The county intends to use its Landlord Incentive Program to identify landlord partners to provide housing units to lease to participating veterans in the program.

Additional information on Johnson County's housing efforts is available at the county's Housing and Homelessness Assistance Guide.