While we were waiting for the next bit of Russia news, wondering about who might come forward to accuse whom of sexual assault, and whether or not protesting racial equality at football games was the same as spitting on the troops, we may have missed a story that was actually about spitting on the troops.
On November 27, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin and HUD Secretary Ben Carson appeared at a DC shelter to praise President Donald Trump’s commitment to ending veteran homelessness, but then on December 1, Shulkin’s staff told veterans’ advocates that the VA was ending one of two major VA homelessness projects and funneling the money, $460 million, to local VA hospitals that could decide how to use it.
Veterans’ advocates, state officials and officials from HUD attacked the decision because the service has dramatically helped reduce homelessness among veterans and the loss of the program would aggravate conditions for chronically ill and vulnerable vets.
In its annual report HUD had noted a 1.5 percent increase in veteran homelessness over 2016 with most of the increase occurring in Los Angeles, where housing costs are skyrocketing.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington, a member of the veterans’ affairs subcommittee, called the original VA decision “a new low” for the Trump administration that was “especially callous and perplexing”.
HUD data show there were nearly 40,000 homeless veterans in 2016, and that many veterans are close to becoming homeless. Since 2010, 138,000 veterans have received support from the program that was going to be cut with the number of homeless vets who are chronically ill, mentally ill, or have substance abuse problems being reduced by almost half.
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Obviously this was a unilateral decision since the decision to make the cut was made without input from rank-and-file VA or HUD staff.
As a result of the protests, Shulkin scrapped the plan.
“There will be absolutely no change in the funding to support our homeless program.”
He also promised to get input from local VA leaders and others on the best way to target funding to the geographical areas that need it most.
However, somehow quietly attempting to cut a program that helps the homeless veterans, until being caught, does not equate to a commitment to ending veteran homelessness.