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Supportive Services for Veteran Families

What is SSVF?

Supportive Services for Veteran Families, or SSVF, involves rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention programs for Veterans that are designed to respond to the crisis of homelessness or imminent homelessness. The program offers time-limited, individualized financial assistance designed to assist Veteran households to obtain and retain permanent housing. Financial assistance is provided at a level that enables Veterans to maintain housing while seeking to: increase income, relocate to less expensive housing, obtain a longer-term subsidy; and/or reduce expenses to sustain housing.

Who is eligible?

  • The Veteran may be a single individual, or part of a family in which he/she is the head of household

  • A person who served in the military and does not need any days of active duty

  • The Veteran’s discharge status must be under conditions other than dishonorable or general court martial

  • The individual or family must be making less than 80% of the area median income (AMI)

  • Housing status: Currently residing in permanent housing and at risk of losing housing and becoming homeless without SSVF assistance; Currently homeless, scheduled to become a resident of permanent housing within 90 days pending the location of permanent housing or has exited permanent housing within the previous 90 days in order to seek housing that better fits with needs

How does SSVF work?

After eligibility is determined, a case navigator can work with each Veteran household to help them access the following:

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  • Housing search assistance

  • Temporary financial assistance for rental arrears & rent, general housing barriers and other qualifying services

  • Referral to employment coordinator & credit counseling partners

  • Referral to VA benefits resources

  • Assistance obtaining other public benefits

  • Coordination with other resources within the community

Where do we serve?

  • Erie

  • Niagara

  • Allegany

  • Cattaraugus

  • Chautauqua

  • Wyoming

  • Orleans

  • Genesee

  • Steuben

  • Livingston

  • Ontario

  • Yates

Veterans One-stop Center 12-county service area

Shallow Subsidy Program

Provides rental assistance to individuals or families who are enrolled in SSVF under housing assistance and/or Senior Veterans that are near the age of 62, who are currently applying for pension and are waiting for a determination, Veterans with goals or the ability to increase their income (through a pending VA compensation claim, or otherwise), employable but not currently employed Veterans, and those that are disabled but do not currently receive SSI/SSDI & need rental assistance to maintain their housing due to rent burden or low income.

This program provides assistance with up to 50% of monthly rent

SSVF Housing Contact

Holly Rutkowski

Veteran Services Program Manager

hrutkowski@vocwny.org

ssvf@vocwny.org

716-898-0110

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