I'm hoping someone can help me with information about whether or not the VA provides assistance for low income vets who need assistance paying for their housing? My eighty year old father lives on his own but is near destitute and depends upon my brother to pay his rent, I'm helping out in my own way. But my brother just started a family and while things with him were tight my father's needs are now pushing him to the breaking point and I fear possibly straining his new marriage. I've been delving into the VA for medical needs, and now I'm hoping I can find a benefit to help relieve my brother of some (or all) of what he pays for rent on our father's apartment. Moving him isn't really an option because he feels safe where he is (which is a big issue with him) and was sleeping in his car like a transient because he was afraid of where he was living previously. So we don't want to go through that again, all the worrying when we can't find him. I'd like to help, but he and I are very much opposed on many things so we'd likely be fighting a lot so moving in with me would simply trade one problem for another. He failed to save anything and gets little in the way of SS.
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. I will warn you that there is a waiting list for almost everything through the VA. I met a legally blind veteran, age 73 about a year ago. His wife had cleaned out their bank account and divorced him. He was evicted from his home. I helped him get caregiver services for 2 hours, 5 days a week. We found an extended stay hotel that he could afford with his monthly social security. He lived there for about 3 months, then we introduced him to another senior who was in similar situation, and they rented a small house together, which was less expensive than both of them paying for extended stay hotel. Check Section 8 housing and any local subsidized housing for seniors, but again, we found that the waiting list averaged about a year in this area. Get on every list you can, and certainly apply for Aid and Attendance. You may also look into Medicaid for housing and caregiver assistance.
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There may be some VA transitional housing or low income housing that he might qualify for.
But the term "service connected disability" is pretty broad if we are talking about a Vietnam era Vet. There are a lot of conditions that have been connected to Agent Orange and if there is a possibility the he may have been effected it just might help him out.
Call a Veterans Commission office or contact a Patient Advocate or Social Worker at the Va and they will help guide you. It will help greatly if you have any or all of his discharge information.
You can also call the VFW as they have grants that they give out as long as you meet the requirements. Their number is 1-800-273-8255 or text them at 838255.
There is also a group called Volunteers of America who will help in these situations so you may want to call them as well. One last thing is to call your PHA, (public housing authority) for info on VASH.
I wish you and your family the best of luck and hope you get help soon.