Mayor Ken Miyagishima has joined First Lady Michelle Obama in committing to end veteran homelessness in Las Cruces by the end of 2015. With the First Lady’s announcement of the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, Las Cruces joins a growing number of communities across the country making the pledge.
“Veteran homelessness is not a problem that can’t be solved,” said Mayor Miyagishima. “By focusing our resources and renewing our communities’ commitment to this issue, we can end veteran homelessness in our city and our country. I’m proud to join mayors across the country as we work toward the important goal of honoring the service of our veterans by making sure all of them have a home to call their own.”
A Las Cruces press release states it will work with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), and the National League of Cities to leverage federal resources and develop a local strategy to make sure every veteran in the community has access to stable housing and the supportive services they need to stay off the street.
In 2010, the federal government launched Opening Doors, a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Since then, the release states there has been a 24 percent reduction in homelessness among veterans.
To learn more about resources for local veterans experiencing homelessness, visit:
https://www.onecpd.info/homelessness-assistance/resources-for-homeless-veterans/.