NEWBURGH – Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) and local officials condemned a decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to deny an anticipated annual federal investment of over $500,000 to Hudson River Housing. If no action is taken, funding will run out and the program will be terminated after September 30th.
“Hudson River Housing has been an absolute lifeline for hundreds of men and women who wore our country’s uniform and needed some help when they got home. This heartless decision would leave them out in the cold,” said Maloney. “This breaks our sacred promise to our veterans and turns our back on them when they need us most.”
“Veterans should have every expectation we will continue to support them and will not give up on them,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro. “These brave men and women put their lives at risk to ensure our safety and the security of our nation. Though Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and our partnership with Hudson River Housing has led to a dramatic decrease in homelessness among veterans, the issue remains. We do not want to see even one veteran struggling to find safe shelter and secure housing. With little notice the Department of Veterans Affairs’ decision to deny another year of SSVF support in our community is shortsighted and illogical. We are grateful to Congressmen John Faso and Sean Maloney and Senator Chuck Schumer for speaking up for Dutchess County’s and America’s veterans. We cannot allow any veteran to be left out in the cold, to struggle on their own. Dutchess County stands with our veterans and will keep fighting for every one of them.”
“Since 2012, Hudson River Housing has been able to assist over 500 families who would have otherwise been homeless without this funding,” said State Senator Sue Serino. “This harmful decision to eliminate this grant, which has effectively reached so many veterans in need, illustrates either a lack of understanding of the critical need it fills or a callous disregard for our veterans. I implore the Division of Veterans Affairs to reconsider and provide this critical funding to ensure that our homeless veterans and their families are not abandoned by the nation they have courageously served.”
On behalf of the homeless Veteran families that Hudson River Housing proudly serves, we are devastated by the news of the defunding of our Support Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant,” said Hudson River Housing Executive Director Christa Hines. “The possible closure of the SSVF program will cause an immediate and serious impact on the at-risk and homeless Veteran community that we serve and potentially reverse all of the progress that Hudson River Housing and our partners have made to address Veteran homelessness in Dutchess County.
Hudson River Housing will apply for an emergency one-month extension to allow the organization to finish its existing cases. Local leaders are working together to appeal the decision or secure an extension.
Maloney sent a letter directly to the President, asking him to intervene on behalf of local veterans Molinaro wrote an additional letter to the VA.
