(KRON) – Whereas there have been many occasions Friday honoring veterans, there nonetheless stays a harsh actuality going through lots of those that served… and that’s the topic of housing. In line with the California Analysis Bureau, the town has the sixth-highest variety of homeless vets.

“After I consider Veterans Day, I consider my fellow troopers and the way we will help them,” mentioned veteran Alan Wong.  

Wong was known as as much as assist first responders when a raging fireplace threatened to burn by way of South Lake Tahoe. Friday, as a legislative analyst for San Francisco supervisor Gordon Mar, Wong is on a brand new mission: to assist struggling veterans. 

“As an aide, I’ve labored on three key items of laws,” Wong mentioned.

A type of items tackles the issue of homelessness: placing veterans up on the prime in terms of the town’s reasonably priced housing system. A 2019 survey by the San Francisco Level Group revealed there have been about 600 chronically homeless veterans within the metropolis, amounting to about 9 p.c of the chronically homeless inhabitants citywide. 

“Presently in SF we’ve beneath market-rate housing that’s sponsored, and there may be usually a lottery to get into these alternatives, so we created a precedence desire for veterans,” he mentioned.

One other measure provides these out on go away monetary help.

“So, what it does is requires bigger employers to pay the distinction between civilian pay and navy pay as much as 30 days in a 12 months if they’re known as to obligation,” he mentioned.

It additionally provides free entry to all San Francisco parks, together with the town’s swimming pools, and locations just like the botanical gardens.

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“That piece of laws is there to assist help their psychological and bodily well being of our veterans – to provide them the respect they deserve,” he mentioned.

Wong says he acknowledges there may be nonetheless a lot work to be performed to assist vets and tackle their complicated wants, however he’s happy with what has been completed, particularly on a day like Veterans Day.  

“What does Veterans Day imply to you?” he requested. “It means honoring those that have given up a lot, I’ve seen the sacrifice up shut. I’ve seen what it takes.”