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The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program provides homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing (RRH) assistance to veterans and their families experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The program offers short-term, intensive case management to remove barriers to housing (such as joblessness, limited income, disability or mental illness) and connects veterans to services such as housing search assistance and counseling, moving expenses, health care, daily living support, personal financial planning, transportation assistance, and legal services.

SSVF helps veterans find the housing stability they deserve and has the following characteristics:

 

  • A community-based service provider acts as the point of contact for both the household and the landlord. This allows for positive communication between all the parties when there are questions or concerns.

 

  • The program is time-limited. Eligible veterans can receive a subsidy for three to six months or may receive additional months of rental assistance depending on need, eligibility, and availability of funds. Households may be reassessed every 3 to 6 months. Veterans continue to be eligible for medical care through the VA for as long as they are eligible for VA services.

 

  • Veterans select their own housing—which can include single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, or shared living situations—so long as that housing meets fair rent standards and minimum standards of health and safety.

 

 

  • Veterans sign their own lease. Through the lease signing process, community-based service providers ensure that everyone understands their rights and obligations for participation in the program, tenancy, and how rent payments are made.

 

  • Veterans receive supportive services as part of their participation in the program. Services are available on a case-by-case basis, including short-term intensive case management to remove barriers to housing. Case management services are focused on helping clients stabilize and connect to resources to achieve stable housing.  

 

  • Rental assistance payments are administered through the service providers for this program and paid directly to the housing provider.

 

  • Veterans can receive financial assistance to cover move-in-costs of the security deposit and the first month's rent.

For More Information or Support

Contact us

For more information about A New Lease on Life and its programs fill out the contact form or email us at newleaseonlife@dc.gov.

Program resources

For a complete list of agencies and service providers, please visit Resources.

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