ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
With Reny Beltran of the Lynn English JROTC standing guard, Robert Pulster, center, of the U.S. Council on Homeless, and The Honorable Francisco Urena, secretary of the Mass. Dept. of Veterans Services, salute the flag at Lynn Museum Tuesday.
By GABE MARTINEZ
LYNN — The city once had about 50 homeless veterans, but federal officials on Tuesday said Lynn is the first Massachusetts city to eliminate homelessness among residents who served their country.
Three years ago, the Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development (LHAND) received funding to provide housing case management and other services to low-income veterans. As a result, the agency has helped 157 veterans find homes.
Dennis Magnasco, a Lynn veteran, read a statement on behalf of U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who served in Iraq.
“Ending veteran homelessness is a goal that every town and city should strive to achieve,” he said. “Lynn accepted the challenge, and today, I am proud that Lynn is the first city or town in Massachusetts to receive a ‘functional zero’ categorization for veteran homelessness.”
Last spring, the Lynn Continuum of Care, a group of agencies whose mission is to end homelessness, and LHAND created a plan to combat veterans homelessness. A registry was created in September and submitted to the Veterans Administration in October, and the plan was approved in November. On Feb. 11, the city received the certification.
Kennedy said the city was able to help connect the different groups to combat the problem.
“This has been a pretty lengthy process,” Kennedy said. “We knew it would take more than just one group of people. We needed the housing authority and the substance abuse people and the medical people. It truly was a group effort.”
Tuesday’s ceremony at the Lynn Museum featured the English High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps color guard, and began with remarks from Harry MacCabe, LHAND’s regional housing and services director.
“This accomplishment today starts at the mayor’s office with Mr. (Charles) Gaeta (LHAND’s executive director) and every agency in the city and region,” MacCabe said.
Kristine Foye, a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that when city, state and federal officials can work together, great things like eliminating veterans homelessness can happen.
Gabe Martinez can be reached at [email protected] follow him on Twitter @gemartinez92.
