A new bill has been proposed to help give aide to the Veterans at risk of homelessness
Manchester’s African American and Black Affairs Council is advocating for two bills that would help veterans get housing across the state.
“We need to eliminate homelessness for the veterans,” said Navy veteran and member of the council, Hubert R. Watson Jr. “No veteran should ever go homeless in the United State of America, especially after fighting for this country.”
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WATCH HEREWatson Jr. served in the Navy from 1977 to 1981 and says he’s experienced homelessness like many other veterans.
“That’s one of the greatest insults that you can face as a veteran,” he said. “Knowing that you fought and serviced this country honorable and faithfully only to come back and there’s no home.”
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SIGN UP Proposed bill No. 1161 would set aside affordable housing units for disabled and elderly veterans and proposed bill No. 6768 would require newly-built housing units sets aside 10 percent of housing for veterans.
Army veteran and supporter of the bills, Giselle Jacobs, says she’s been homeless twice, including after being discharged.
“We go away, we serve our country, and we have to come back home to not knowing where we’re going to lay our feet at, because we can’t afford to get our own place,” said Jacobs. “Many of our legislators are vets themselves. Get it passed and help those of us that were willing to help our country.”
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Navy veteran Jeff Pierce is one veteran whose life could be impacted by the bill. The 68-year-old is currently living in a hotel after being displaced from his home due to mold in January.
“It was stinking so bad I started getting sick,” said Pierce. “It was smelling. I just sat there, and I cried, and I looked at it.”
He says it’s hard for him to find a suitable apartment, because he has mobility issue and can’t climb up stairs. Pierce also is living with dyslexia, so his conservators must sign off, making the process longer.
“I have nowhere else to go. I’ve been looking for apartments,” he said. “I got to find somewhere. I can’t afford to keep paying another thousand dollars for fourteen days.”
Republican whip and state senator Jeff Gordon authored bill No. 1161 and says the bill is moving forward and has bipartisan support.
“This is one more thing that we can do to help veterans and their families, so I’m optimistic we can get this done,” he said.
