Homeless veterans encouraged to sign up for housing program

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — The annual "Stand Down" event to help San Diego’s homeless veterans will begin in a couple of days with a new resource.

The three day event for the city’s homeless veterans starts Friday and the people responsible for putting the event together are the Marines, Home Depot people, volunteers, people associated with the event’s sponsor and Veterans Village of San Diego.

Tents will be set up, which will not only offer shelter, but services – an array of them – dental and medical care, legal advice, employment and job counseling.

This year however, there will be a particular focus, emphasis on housing, a real opportunity to get off the streets.

Under one of the tents, Mayor Faulconer and others will encourage veterans to attend "Stand Down" but to also sign up for the city’s "Housing Our Heroes" campaign.

The Housing Commission launched the $12.5 million project in March.

Offering landlords financial incentives, the goal is to put a roof over the heads of a thousand homeless veterans by early next year.