Healy, Santiago mark progress on statewide 'End Veterans Homelessness' campaign at New Bedford Veterans Transition House

Governor Maura Healey visited the Veterans Transition House (VTH) in New Bedford on the state’s campaign to end veterans homelessness, saying local teamwork has helped the city reach “functional zero” veteran homelessness and reporting statewide program enrollments and housing placements since the initiative began a year earlier.

Healey said the statewide effort has enrolled more than 500 veterans, with about 100 placed in permanent housing and about 100 in transitional housing; she and Secretary of Veterans Services John Santiago also said hundreds of families received financial assistance and more than 300 veteran housing units are in the pipeline. “No one who served our country should ever have to worry about where they’re gonna sleep at night,” Healey said.

The announcement at VTH — a nonprofit that provides transitional and supportive housing — included remarks from Secretary Santiago and VTH Executive Director Jim Reed, a presentation of a gubernatorial citation recognizing Reed’s years of service, and a veteran’s personal account of recovery and employment at VTH.

Healey framed the event as part of a broader administration push combining legislation and new state programs. She cited passage of the HERO Act and the Affordable Homes Act as part of the administration’s work expanding veterans’ access to services and housing.…