These first-of-their-kind funds, available through VA’s new Legal Services for Veterans Grant Program, were awarded to 79 public or non-profit organizations that will help Veterans in several ways, including:

• Providing representation in landlord-tenant disputes to prevent eviction
• Assisting with court proceedings for child support, custody, or estate planning.
• Helping Veterans obtain public benefits, including disability compensation.
• Defending Veterans in criminal cases that can prolong or increase their risk of homelessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, or driver’s license revocation.
• Assisting with requests to upgrade characterization of discharges or dismissals of former members of the Armed Forces.

Ending Veteran homelessness is a top priority of VA and President Biden, who has made supporting Veterans a key pillar of his Unity Agenda for the nation. In 2022 alone, VA housed more than 40,000 formerly homeless Veterans, prevented more than 17,700 Veterans and their families from falling into homelessness, and helped nearly 191,700 additional Veteran families who were experiencing financial difficulties retain their homes or avoid foreclosure. Thanks in part to these efforts, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by 11% since early 2020 and by more than 55% since 2010. In 2023, VA has set a goal to house at least 38,000 Veterans.

“For Veterans, legal support can be the difference between becoming homeless and having safe, stable housing,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “With the award of these first-of-their-kind VA grants, more Veterans will have the legal representation they deserve — which will increase their access to housing and employment.”

This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s broader efforts to reduce homelessness for all Americans by 25% by 2025 and advance protections for renters. These grants were created as a part of VA’s implementation of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D., Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, which authorized VA to award each recipient up to $150,000 in grant funds, with at least 10% of funding being utilized for women Veterans.

The grant recipients successfully competed under a Notice of Funding Opportunity published Oct. 6, 2022. Each grantee was permitted to apply funding to support legal services starting August 1, 2023. 

For more information, including the list of awarded grantees, visit the Legal Services for Veterans website https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/LSV.asp or email lsv@va.gov.

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The funds are available through VA’s new Legal Services for Veterans Grant Program and will help Veterans in several ways, including:         

• Providing representation in landlord-tenant disputes to prevent eviction.
• Assisting with court proceedings for child support, custody or estate planning.
• Helping Veterans obtain disability compensation and other benefits.
• Providing criminal defense services for certain issues that are symptomatic of homelessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines and driver’s license revocation.
• Upgrading characterization of discharges or dismissals of former members of the Armed Forces.

“Veterans who face legal challenges are more likely to become homeless,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “Through these grants, VA is providing Veterans with the legal assistance they need to access the housing they deserve.”

This funding will be awarded in grants of up to $150,000 to 75 eligible organizations, with at least 10% of funding being utilized for women Veterans. The Notice of Funding Opportunity provides information about the grant program eligibility and award process. VA will host a technical assistance webinar for grant applicants in October. Monitor VA’s homeless LSV website for webinar information and updates. Applications must be submitted by Dec. 30, 2022.

In this calendar year, VA has already placed more than 26,500 homeless Veterans into permanent housing — putting VA on track to meet its goal of 38,000 permanent housing placements for homeless Veterans in 2022.

Learn more about legal services for Veterans or email lsv@va.gov.

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Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) has partnered with the Perris-based TODEC Legal Center to provide free legal support services to faculty, staff and undocumented students at the college.

The TODEC (Training Occupational Development Educating Communities) Legal Center provides assistance with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program renewals and immigration screenings and consultations. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the DACA program, which allows undocumented individuals who were brought here as infants or minors to attend colleges and universities and work in this country in order to contribute to their communities. MSJC is fully committed to serving its DACA students and will continue to support their educational goals.

The TODEC partnership will provide students, their families, and the college community with information related to resources specifically for DACA, AB 540, and Dreamers. MSJC and TODEC Legal Center will not violate the HIPAA privacy rule, FERPA, or California State Regulations.

TODEC’s mission is to empower disenfranchised immigrant communities to become economically, socially, educationally, and civically self-sufficient while enhancing individual self-esteem and community health. The overall purpose of TODEC is to ensure equitable access to information, immigration legal services, community education, advocacy, and civic engagement for limited and non-English speaking people, including immigrants and migrant workers throughout the Inland Empire, and Imperial and Inyo counties.

The collaboration between MSJC and TODEC is part of a pilot project led by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO), the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), and the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Following a competitive process, MSJC was selected as one of 65 California community colleges to receive grant funding to host legal immigration services during this pilot phase. While not every college is a host, students from non-host colleges will be able to access services from host colleges such as MSJC.

For more information, please visit www.msjc.edu/dreamers

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