May 2025 - Supporting Veterans through Fair Housing Protections
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Welcome Note
This month, our team has been actively engaging with the Department of Veterans Affairs to deepen our understanding of how we can better support those who have served our country. These conversations have highlighted not only the unique challenges veterans face in securing housing, but also the critical role that fair housing protections play in addressing those challenges.
Supporting Veterans through Fair Housing Protections
Did You Know…
Nearly 13% of the unhoused adult population are veterans, and according to a Mission Roll Call poll, more than 90% of veterans believe that not enough is being done to combat this statistic.
In 2023, 30% of veterans in the labor force were reported to have a service-connected disability, meaning they were disabled due to their service.
As of December 2008, over 30,000 troops have returned from combat zones with permanent disabilities, and an estimate of 25-40% have psychological injuries associated with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), a landlord may not evict a servicemember, or his/her dependents, from a residential home during a period of military service without first obtaining a court order.
The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program combines HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless veterans.
As of the end of 2023, HUD had allocated nearly 112,000 vouchers across the country (United States Interagency Council on Homelessness).
So What Does It All Mean?
Some veterans are experiencing mental illnesses that can lead to substance use, which increases their risk of becoming unhoused or facing housing instability.
Recent studies also show that one-third of veterans report a history of arrest after serving, which can further increase difficulty when procuring and securing housing
It is important to know that the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of disability, whether it be a mental, physical, or developmental.
Many veterans experience mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD which can heavily impact their transition back into civilian life.
Contact your local housing authority or the VA to receive more information on how to obtain a HUD VASH voucher to transition into subsidized housing.
What Can We Do?
Veterans that have disabilities fall under the ‘Disability’ protected class within the fair housing act; they have the right to request reasonable accommodations and modifications from their housing provider.
The Fair Housing project is able to write a letter on your behalf if you are trying to obtain a reasonable accommodation or modification based on your disability.
The Eviction Prevention project can ensure that your HUD voucher remains effective, and can work to appeal any termination requests.
If you or someone you know is a Disabled veteran experiencing housing discrimination, give us a call or email us at fairhousing@floridalegal.org
Florida Legal Services created a new Veterans Justice Project, that provides veterans across the state of Florida with FREE legal services that include: VA disability appeals/claims, name changes, upgrades to discharges, and much more. Call 855-801- 4811 today for more information!
Community Outreach
Upcoming Outreach Events
What We’ve Been Up To
St.John’s Mental Health Fair
Kicking off Mental Health Awareness Month members from the Fair Housing Team attended a Mental Health Fair that took place at the St.John’s Department of Health. Lola and Joe were able to share fair housing information with members of the community and engage in necessary discussions about mental health and the important role it plays.
Girl’s Place Fundraising Event
Florida Legal Services was invited to attend the annual Girl’s Place fundraiser. Lola and Marissa represented the Housing Justice projects by sharing about the services each project provides. Thank you to Girl’s Place for hosting, and we hope to continue our shared partnership!
Hawthorne Resource Center Tabling
At FLS we believe it is important to meet our communities where they are and that includes those in rural towns. Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention regularly tables at the Hawthorne Resource Center (HARC) during their daily food drives. If you are interested in Farmshare, please visit the HARC center Monday-Friday from 9:30am-2pm. See you there!
Gainesville Housing Authority Tenant Rights Presentation
Through our outreach in Alachua County, the Eviction Prevention team was invited to present on tenant rights to the participants in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program with the Gainesville Housing Authority. It was a great time educating these prospective tenants on their rights and responsibilities. We look forward to future collaborations with other FLS projects!
Rural Mental Health Summit
The Housing Justice Projects tabled during the city of Alachua’s Rural Substance Abuse Health Summit. We were joined by Pia Molina, our testing coordinator, and provided participants with valuable information regarding the services we provide at Florida Legal Services. Thank you Meridian and Canvas Church for inviting us!
Family Fun Day and Tower Road Tabling
The Housing Justice teams were able to collaborate by tabling at the Tower Road Branch Library this month. We are very grateful to our libraries and the continued support we receive from them. Lola, our Fair Housing Outreach Coordinator, also spent some time in Daytona participating in R&S United Health Service’s first Health Fair and Family Fun Day where she shared fair housing information with community members and other local resources.
Community Resource and Job Fair
We would like to send a huge thank you to our partners at Library Partnership and the Alachua County Library for providing a space to share our free legal services to the patrons seeking job opportunities and community resources. The Fair Housing and Eviction Prevention teams are grateful for the collaborations within the community to serve and educate.
Tower Road Branch Tabling
The Eviction Prevention team was able to educate the attendees of the Tenant Rights presentation in the Tower Road Library Branch area. It was a great time meeting one-on-one with clients after the presentation to provide preliminary advice and consultation. We hope to prevent evictions through empowering our communities with knowledge and guidance!
Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) Open House
Thanks to the Resident Life Coordinator at GHA, we were able to attend their Open House for their participants within the HCV program. It was a great opportunity to share more information on the resources that Florida Legal Services provides.
SPARC Community
During the Resident Artistry Kick-off event, the Housing Justice projects were able to table and share brochures on basic Fair Housing rights and Eviction Prevention helpline services. We were joined by Pia Molina, our testing coordinator, to recruit testers in Alachua.
Meridian Tabling Event
As our ongoing partnership with Meridian Healthcare continues, we were invited to table at this year’s Health Fest. The Eviction Prevention and Fair Housing teams tabled to provide patrons with information regarding the programs that Florida Legal Services offers to residents in Florida. We appreciate the community efforts to reach underserved communities!
Eviction Prevention in Alachua County:
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Legal Clinic - If you have a housing or legal question that you would like to consult an attorney about, please join us on June 10th from 10am- 1pm at the One Family Community Resource Center, located on 1725 SE 1st Ave, Gainesville, FL 32641 . You can speak to an attorney for FREE, if you have any questions or concerns, stop by!
Know Your Rights Workshops - The Alachua County Eviction Prevention team is hosting FREE monthly legal clinics “Know Your Rights As A Renter” at public locations throughout the county. Join the Eviction Prevention team this month on June 30th from 11am-1pm at Library Partnership, located on 912 NE 16th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear advice and ask questions of experienced housing attorneys.
Alachua County Eviction Prevention Helpline - CALL: 888-780-0443
This helpline aimed at serving Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) recipients and other members of the Alachua community is up and running! Helpline operators are accepting phone calls regarding housing, landlord-tenant issues, child support, or any other legal issue faced by low-income Alachua County renters. Callers will be connected with an attorney who can provide legal assistance over the phone and in some cases, direct legal representation. EMAIL TO JOIN MAILING LIST FOR UPCOMING FREE LEGAL CLINIC!
The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) protects you from discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and familial status. This applies to renting, buying, mortgages, appraisals, insurance, and looking for a place to live.
IF YOU THINK YOU’VE BEEN THE VICTIM OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT:
407-801- 4224 (English)
850-680-1729 (Spanish)
fairhousing@floridalegal.org
www.floridalegal.org/fairhousing
IF YOU ARE AN ALACHUA COUNTY RESIDENT FACING BARRIERS TO HOUSING OR AN EVICTION, PLEASE CALL AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS TO REACH A LIVE ALACHUA COUNTY OPERATOR:
888-780-0443 (English and Spanish)
www.floridalegal.org/evictionprevention
The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.