The gap we saw. The org we built
CHV was founded because federal systems promise a safety net that, for many veterans, does not catch them. We did not set out to replace the system. We set out to close the specific gap where it fails.
The problem we are solving
The math broke. Disability income no longer covers rent in our region.
A veteran rated 50% disabled receives roughly $1,075 per month from the Department of Veterans Affairs. A modest two-bedroom in the Baltimore region rents for about $2,314. HUD-VASH vouchers stall when Fair Market Rents lag actual rents. Intake windows measured in months leave veterans in crisis with weeks.
CHV closes that specific gap for Maryland veterans that federal programs are not reaching. Not another program layer. Direct housing placements and rent assistance, where the math actually breaks.
“$1,075 in disability. $2,314 in rent. That is a policy gap, not a personal failing.”
Bryan Worsley served in the U.S. Army and continues to serve in the National Guard.
After coming home and looking around, Bryan saw a specific pattern. The veterans who served alongside him were ending up in situations the system was not catching. Vouchers they could not use. Waitlists that timed out. Discharge paperwork that quietly disqualified them from the very programs built for veterans.
CHV is the organization that closes that gap. Not by replacing anything. By doing the specific work the existing system is not doing, for the specific veterans it is not reaching.
Four gaps in the federal system
CHV’s programs are designed around four specific failure modes in the existing veteran-services landscape. We documented them in our White Paper. We address each of them directly.
- 1
Voucher-to-rent mismatch
HUD Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher rates lag actual market rents. Veterans qualify for vouchers they cannot use.
- 2
Time-to-resolution
Intake-to-placement averages weeks to months. A veteran in crisis cannot wait that long.
- 3
Category rigidity
If you do not fit a pre-built program category, the system routes you to voicemail. Not to help.
- 4
Trust-and-navigation failure
The people who need help most are least equipped to navigate a fragmented system alone.
The CHV timeline
Compassionate Homes, Inc. incorporated in Maryland
IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status approved
First veterans served through our transitional housing, with a regional partner case-management agency
Donor-to-veteran gifting concept in early planning and development
Veteran-led governance
CHV’s board and executive committee are composed of individuals committed to ending veteran homelessness. Meet the team and review our governance documents.