Medford Establishes Landlord Incentive Program to Boost Housing Options for Veterans
Medford Establishes Landlord Incentive Program to Boost Housing Options for Veterans
The City Council has unanimously passed an ordinance that would allow the City to fund an incentive program, through the nonprofit organization Housing Families, offering landlords up to $750 per year who rent properties to qualified veterans, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced. This program closely aligns with a similar incentive-based housing program for veterans in Los Angeles.
The ordinance was unanimously adopted by the City Council at its January 14 meeting, after being crafted in the Resident Services and Public Engagement Subcommittee with the help of Veterans Services Director Veronica Shaw.
“With limited housing options available, we need to do everything we can to make sure our veterans are cared for and housed,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn said. “This program will provide much needed relief to our veterans who are searching for a place to live. Thank you to our Veterans’ Services Director Veronica Shaw and Councilman Matt Leming for spearheading this ordinance and advocating for our veterans, and to Housing Families for supporting this program.”
The Veterans’ Services Office will work with Housing Families to identify Medford veterans in need of housing and connect them with landlords with available units for rent. If a unit is rented to a qualified Medford veteran, the landlord will be given an annual check of up to $750.
“There are hundreds of veterans living in Massachusetts who are experiencing homelessness,” Veterans’ Services Director Shaw, a veteran of the Army, said. “Ending veteran homelessness is a crucial step toward honoring the sacrifices made by those who have served our country. This landlord initiative encourages rental opportunities for veterans and not only supports them but also contributes to a stronger Medford.”
The program’s goal is to reduce barriers for veterans searching for meaningful housing and provide a stable home environment that can greatly help with a successful reintegration into civilian life.
"Plenty of veterans have trouble finding housing in our community,” said Councilman Leming, Chair of the Resident Services and Public Engagement Subcommittee and a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy Reserves. “I hope this program can play a small part in supporting them, and I hope that it can serve as an example for other communities. I'm very proud of all the work that Medford's Veterans Services Director and Housing Families put into this."
- Housing
- Veterans