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Mohave County transitional housing provider says VA inspection dispute forced rapid repairs and highlights eligibility barrier for high-need veterans
Summary
Casey Farrell, director of programs for the Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council, told the commission that a VA inspection dispute prompted rapid corrective actions at the group’s transitional housing site and that a VA policy requiring VA-health-care eligibility is forcing the program to turn away about 22–25% of veterans who seek help.
Casey Farrell, director of programs for the Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council of Mohave County, told the advisory commission on May 22 that the organization’s transitional housing program serves veterans statewide with transportation, tiny homes and a low-demand safe-haven program — but is operating under an active dispute with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs over facility conditions and inspection requirements.
Farrell described three core services: a volunteer-driven transportation program averaging just over 3,000 miles per month to take veterans to medical and legal appointments; a tiny-home initiative (7 units currently in RV parks) that charges only lot fees and utilities to residents; and a low-demand safe-haven transitional housing program for veterans who were not successful in other programs.
The dispute with the VA: Farrell said the VA notified the program that its facility was unsafe and ordered a list of corrective actions, but that a third-party inspector (First Due) completed an annual inspection in January and reconfirmed sprinkler operability after the VA’s notice. Farrell said the VA required additional documentation including blueprints and permits, but those were already pulled by the city of Kingman on April 4; he said the VA canceled a planned on-site reinspection and then issued a letter listing requirements on a compressed timeline.
CDBG grant and construction timeline: Farrell said the organization previously planned to use a Community Development Block Grant for phase 2 construction and roof work but pulled that request because the CDBG program requires construction completion by Dec. 31 and the scope and permit review made that deadline impractical. He said a structural engineer’s plans were expected by June 13 and that the organization will proceed with the work regardless of the grant timeline.
Eligibility barrier for low-demand clients: Farrell told commissioners that Congress or VA policy requires transitional residents to be eligible for VA health care in order to enter the low-demand safe-haven program; as a result, the program has had to refuse roughly 22–25% of applicants who sought help because they were not VA-health-care-eligible. Farrell said he and other local advocates have urged congressional offices and the VA to lift that requirement for the low-demand program, which serves veterans with the most barriers to housing.
Program outcomes: Farrell said Jerry Ambrose’s program placed 26 participants into housing in a little over a year and that staff are mostly veterans. He also described planned supportive community projects including a thrift shop and a greenhouse that would provide therapeutic volunteer opportunities and donated produce for veterans.
Discussion vs. decision: The commission heard Farrell’s report and asked questions; no commission action or vote was recorded about the VA dispute or grant plans. Farrell said the organization will complete structural plans and seek reinspection and will continue placement work in the meantime.
Ending: Farrell asked for continued community and commission support for resolving inspection differences with the VA and loosening eligibility restrictions for low-demand transitional programs.
