From tiny shelter to tranquil apartment with help from VA

A tiny shelter was just one stop on a successful journey.

When Army Veteran LaVerne Jackson came to Los Angeles from North Carolina, she didn’t intend to stay. The trip was a mission of altruism, an effort to help a battle buddy who was struggling with addiction issues.

Despite doing her best to assist him, Jackson’s friend relapsed and by the time she was ready to leave, airline ticket prices had increased beyond her means. She was stuck.

“I knew if I could get to VA I would be able to get some help,” she recalled. She asked a passer-by if he knew the way to West LA VA and miraculously he was headed there for an appointment and offered to bring her along.

Once she arrived, VA staff immediately got her into a drop-in shelter at Care, Treatment and Rehabilitative Services (CTRS), a first-of-its-kind emergency shelter program where roughly 135 homeless Veterans live in individual, climate-controlled shelters as they begin their journeys to permanent housing.

It was there that Jackson got the help she needed to take control of her health and her life. “You have to strive for better. You have to be determined to get what you want,” she shared.

“He has been awesome. He’s stayed on it.”

In addition to the 135 primary shelters at CTRS, there are 12 drop-in units intended for Veterans in need of emergency shelter on any given evening. In the mornings, when it was time to leave the unit, Jackson would sit in the nearby rose garden and meditate. “I was praying for direction,” she said.

A staff member told her one of the main shelters was available and it was hers if she wanted it. She moved in. During her time there, Jackson worked with staff to implement a plan for permanent housing. 

For social worker Ryan Wines, Jackson was one of his first clients. Since then, he’s seen a transformation in her. “She was able to overcome several challenges she faced at CTRS and develop her assertiveness and self-advocacy skills,” Wines said.

Jackson also has nothing but positive things to say about Wines. “He has been awesome. He’s stayed on it.” She also credited Brandon Hendrix, food service contractor, for assisting her in obtaining meals aligned with her vegan lifestyle.

Addressing her health issues was another critical component of the time Jackson spent at CTRS. Being in close proximity to all medical facilities on campus, she was able to solve some ongoing health concerns. “The health care is phenomenal. I’ve gotten so much accomplished,” she said.

“Treat her like my own family.”

Another key figure in Jackson’s housing journey has been Kimberly Broughton, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) lead case manager. Broughton is with SSVF community grantee Village for Vets. SSVF grantees offer rapid rehousing assistance among a variety of other supportive services for Veterans. 

Broughton helped her see what housing options were available. “I didn’t know anything about LA. She took it upon herself to look at places and she would send them to me,” Jackson said of Broughton.

Broughton says Jackson was very shy when the two first met. “Now she’s very vocal and very confident. She’s very honest with me and I’m very honest with her. I treat Ms. Jackson how I would treat any of my family members. That’s my motto,” Broughton said.

With the help of Broughton and Wines, along with HUD-VASH Social Worker Atif Muhammed and Peer Support Specialist Ethel Butler, Jackson was able to find an apartment in Mar Vista, a peaceful neighborhood in West LA. “I thought it was going to take days to get approved, but it only took 30 minutes,” Jackson said.

Jackson’s housing is subsidized through a partnership between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and VA Supportive Housing (VASH), known as the HUD-VASH program. HUD-VASH combines federal housing vouchers with services from VA to assist Veterans in accessing permanent housing. SSVF has even helped her furnish her new place.

“The best thing that could have happened.”

Jackson’s advice to fellow Veterans is simple. “Stay focused and take advantage of available resources. You have to use the tools that are offered in order to overcome whatever challenges you have. Actively working with staff is also a key part of getting help.”

Jackson is working on finishing a degree in holistic medicine and looks forward to what the future has in store. “This experience made me see some things that I never would have even imagined. I think it was the best thing that could have happened.”