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Crosscurrents

WEB EXCLUSIVE: A veteran's search for a place to call home

Photo by Mariel Waloff

Many San Francisco veterans remain homeless or in transitional housing. Rudy Nevarez, a 66 year-old Vietnam veteran, has been living in transitional housing on Treasure Island for two years. The program, run by Swords to Plowshares, is intended to last two years. After that participants need to find their own housing. Nevarez applied for a HUD-VASH voucher several months ago but was turned down. Swords to Plowshares is letting him stay in the program for an extra 90 days, but then he needs to find another place to live.

Nevarez could move to the Veterans Academy in the Presidio—permanent supportive housing run by Swords to Plowshares. But the program at Treasure Island is substance-free, and has helped Nevarez stay sober for the past two years. He’s worried about what would happen if he moved to the Presidio.

Nevarez met Stephen Hancock at Treasure Island, before Hancock moved to San Bruno and the two have remained good friends. Nevarez has visited Hancock’s new apartment and he would like to move into the same building. 

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