HUD VASH program can help veterans go from homeless to homeowner
Houston - One Houston veteran went from the verge of homelessness to buying a home for his family thanks to a program for homeless veterans.
The HUD VASH program has helped more than 114,000 veterans. It includes housing vouchers that are not just for rent. They can help veterans go from homeless to homeowner.
"He was participating in the Special Olympics. We got Ruthie’s chubby hand right there, her hand print," said Kimeisha Lewis, pointing out family photos on their stairwall.
Paul and Kimeisha Lewis tell us stories about their seven children in their blended family. And memories of the child they had together, three-year-old Ruthie, who had a congenital heart defect.
"She was our daughter. She passed away this year. I’ll let you talk because I’m getting a little emotional," said Kimeisha, looking at photos with Paul. "This is the bitter-sweet part, because we wanted her to enjoy the home."
A home they bought thanks to Paul's military service. A home that almost didn't happen. You see, Paul suffered a traumatic brain injury while training in the Army.
"Before my drill sergeant could get there, I had fallen down into a gully," explained Paul.
Unable to work for a while, he was about to become homeless several years ago.
"To think my last moments might be destitute and homeless was scary," he recalled.
Until he learned about HUD VASH, the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program for homeless veterans. It pairs Housing Choice Vouchers with case management and healthcare. The voucher enabled the Lewis's to buy a home with a room just for Ruthie.
"It was comfortable for her to be able to get all of her therapies in her room," said Kimeisha, showing us Ruthie's room.
CrossCountry Mortgage lender and branch manager Alyson Griffin specializes in helping housing voucher recipients buy homes. Griffin says many veterans don't realize they can use housing vouchers to buy homes, rather than just rent them.
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"Many of them, because they are disabled, are not going to be paying property taxes. So that adds $40,000 to $50,000 in purchasing power," said Griffin.
Now Ruthie's room is a place where Paul and Kimeisha feel close to her.
"She loved being in her room, but she also liked going for walks. And we would often take her around and the neighbors would wave at her," said Kimeisha.
They look forward to a brighter future for the family.
"I appreciate so much everything Paul did to be able to get us to this point. It's like he sacrificed so much," she said.
You can learn more about the HUD VASH program through this link, and more about buying a home with a voucher through the Griffin Housing Alliance Facebook page and local housing authorities, including the Harris County Housing Authority and the Houston Housing Authority.