Placer County Seeking Landlords To Help Homeless Veterans

PLACER COUNTY (CBS13) — Placer County officials are desperately searching for willing landlords to take in dozens of homeless veterans this Memorial Day weekend.

It's part of a federal and county voucher program that guarantees to pay the vet's rent.

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There are countless homeless veterans in Placer County, so now homeless advocates are doing all they can to get the word out.

"Someone has to give them a chance," said landlord Regan Jones.

He owns dozens of properties from Placer County to Arizona, he's one of many landlords in the region participating in the Department of Veterans Affairs housing choice voucher program. It subsidizes rent payments for low-income homeless veterans.

"It is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do," said Placer County housing director Linda Patterson.

The rent is guaranteed, but she's having a tough time finding willing landlords to sign up. She already has more than 30 veterans who qualify. The county is launching public service announcements at movie theaters to educate people about the program.

"We really need the community's help," she said.

Regan believes many of his fellow landlords are not signing up because of the stigma associated with the homeless.

"It's not necessarily the most cleanest person or the teeth are perfect they are not in the gym three days a week so you got a kind a look past bad a bit," he said.

But Patterson says they vet the veterans. She says the county and veterans affairs officials conduct background checks and become a liaison between the landlord and tenant.

"I never have to worry about them bringing something to my property that I don't want," he said.

Regan says as a landlord, it's a risk he's willing to take for a veteran.

"We kind of seek out the ones that don't have a chance, we really do," he said.