$500,000 will support transitional housing initiatives for homeless veterans in Manchester & Nashua
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu (R-NH) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $500,000 in federal funding for new transitional housing programs in Manchester and Nashua for honorably discharged, homeless veterans. The funding is included in the fiscal year 2009 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill which is now ready for consideration by the full Senate. The funding for this project is included within the Committee allocation set out for the fiscal year 2009 spending measures.
In Nashua, the funding will be used by Harbor Homes, Inc., to create a new supportive housing facility for veterans known as “Dalianis House” in honor of veterans’ advocate Dr. Griffin Dalianis. In Manchester, Harbor Homes will partner with the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness and Liberty House, a local veterans shelter, to construct a similar facility in the Queen City.
Senator Gregg stated, “Harbor Homes has demonstrated a deep commitment to helping the homeless veterans in our state who need and deserve our support. Their Veterans F.I.R.S.T. Initiative and Buckingham Place are two great examples of their dedication. The Dalianis House Project in Nashua further highlights this work and will help those honorably discharged veterans who qualify for assistance turn their lives around.”
Gregg continued, “Unfortunately, the Democratic Leadership is actively pursuing a strategy of putting off the business of the Congress until next year. This political gamesmanship means that the funding of the operation of the federal government will be held in limbo pending the outcome of the election. Such an approach reflects a breakdown in governance and will only serve to further reinforce the term, ‘do-nothing Congress.’ The American people rightly expect Congress to do its regular business of debating and passing funding bills, but it seems like this basic responsibility is too much to ask for these days. Such mismanagement greatly reduces the chances of these funding bills being debated openly on the Senate floor, and ultimately signed into law in a timely manner. I remain hopeful that the Democratic Majority will rethink their approach to the appropriations process so that funding for this and other important New Hampshire initiatives is not pushed by the wayside in favor of partisan gamesmanship.”
“Our veterans have made enormous sacrifices to protect us, and they deserve our support and assistance. With this funding, Harbor Homes will create an additional twenty apartment units of supportive veterans’ housing in Nashua and also work with its partners, including Liberty House, on construction of a new facility in Manchester where homeless veterans can live and receive needed services,” said Sununu. “Both these facilities will be based on a successful model – Buckingham Place in Nashua – which has a great record of helping homeless veterans and their families. On a personal note, it is entirely appropriate that the new Gate City building will be named after Dr. Griffin Dalianis, who has worked so hard on behalf of all our veterans.”
“We are delighted and honored to have the opportunity to be considered for this funding, which will allow for the construction of two transitional living facilities for honorably discharged, homeless veterans. Eventually, the individuals who reside at these facilities will be able to live independently with dignity and resume lives as productive citizens” said Peter Kelleher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harbor Homes. “We are enormously thankful for Senators Gregg and Sununu’s support through this funding process, which will have a significant impact in the lives of those individuals who have so proudly served our country.”
Harbor Homes is a private, non-profit housing agency in Nashua which operates Buckingham Place, a transitional housing facility for veterans. “Dalianis House” in Nashua will include twenty apartment units for honorably discharged homeless veterans, including those with mental illness and substance abuse issues, as well as their families. In Manchester, the project will enhance the housing services currently offered at Liberty House by constructing a new facility to house and provide supportive services to twenty veterans.
