HLS 21RS-174 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE STUDY REQUEST NO. 1
BY REPRESENTATIVE MINCEY
VETERANS: Requests the House Special Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs to
study the issue of veteran homelessness and the feasibility and practicability of
designating an employee of the Dept. of Veteran Affairs to focus on veteran
homelessness
1 A STUDY REQUEST
2To request the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs to study the issue
3 of veteran homelessness in Louisiana and the feasibility and practicability of
4 designating an employee of the Department of Veteran Affairs to focus on veteran
5 homelessness, and to report its findings to the House of Representatives prior to
6 November 19, 2021.
7 WHEREAS, in January 2020, the United States Department of Housing and Urban
8Development-designated Continuum of Care program for homelessness in Louisiana
9reported three hundred seventy-seven veterans experiencing homelessness in Louisiana as
10part of its annual point-in-time count census; and
11 WHEREAS, social isolation, lack of support, substance abuse, mental illness, and
12lack of affordable housing have been identified as leading causes of veteran homelessness;
13and
14 WHEREAS, some of the main issues with veteran homelessness are the lack of
15affordable housing, the difficulty veterans experience finding landlords who will accept
16housing vouchers, finding housing that meets fair market value, and locating housing options
17that are affordable; and
18 WHEREAS, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reported that a top
19priority for homeless veterans is safe, sanitary, and secure housing that offers a supportive
20environment free of drugs and alcohol.
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HSR NO. 1
1 THEREFORE, the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana requests
2the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs to obtain a summary report
3from the Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs that includes the latest numbers of
4homeless veterans and the scope and breakdown of veteran homelessness in Louisiana, and
5that identifies effective veteran homelessness prevention efforts currently underway in
6Louisiana.
7 THEREFORE, the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana further
8requests the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs to seek input from
9selected non-profit entities and coalitions that are currently serving homeless veterans in
10Louisiana and that will report to the committee its recommendations for the most direct and
11effective ways in which the state legislature may assist in preventing veteran homelessness
12in Louisiana, including discussion of the need for individual shelter facilities in Louisiana.
13The selected non-profit entities shall consist of the following:
14 (1) Wellspring Alliance.
15 (2) Hope Connections.
16 (3) Elle Foundation.
17 (4) Start Corporation.
18 (5) Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge.
19 (6) Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana.
20 (7) The seven Louisiana Continuum of Care regions that serve the homeless and
21report to the Louisiana Housing Corporation and the United States Department of Housing
22and Urban Development.
23 THEREFORE, the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana further
24requests the House Special Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs to determine the need
25for adding a full-time position in the Louisiana Department of Veteran Affairs to be
26responsible for focusing on preventing veteran homelessness and building direct effective
27statewide referrals for emergency, transitional, and long-term housing for Louisiana veterans
28and veterans at risk of homelessness.
29 THEREFORE, in the undertaking of the study, the House Special Committee on
30Military and Veteran Affairs may seek input from the Louisiana Department of Veteran
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HSR NO. 1
1Affairs and the Louisiana Housing Corporation to determine additional effective methods
2by which the state of Louisiana can continue to prevent veteran homelessness.
3 THEREFORE, the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana requests
4the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs to study the issue of veteran
5homelessness in Louisiana and the feasibility and practicability of designating an employee
6of the Department of Veteran Affairs to focus on homelessness, and to report its findings to
7the House of Representatives prior to November 19, 2021.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House Special Committee on Military and
9Veterans Affairs shall submit one print copy and one electronic copy of any report produced
10pursuant to this Resolution to the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library as required
11by R.S. 24:772.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HSR 1 Original 2021 Regular Session Mincey
Requests the House Special Committee on Military and Veteran Affairs to study the issue
of veteran homelessness in La. and the feasibility and practicability of designating an
employee of the Dept. of Veteran Affairs to focus on homelessness, and to report its findings
prior to Nov. 19, 2021.
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