The Veterans Administration is under attack for failing to dole out housing vouchers designed to help end chronic homelessness among vets. The delay nearly cost one man his life.

54-year old Delbert Dungan has been homeless and living in a tent in Bend, Oregon for three years. In July he signed up for the HUD-VASH housing vouchers which he qualifies to receive. Because the V.A. didn’t hire a caseworker to administer the vouchers in Bend, Delbert and many other veterans remained homeless.

On Christmas Day with the temperature hovering around zero, Delbert was using a propane heater to warm his tent. The tank had a slow leak and when Delbert lit a cigarette, the tent was engulfed by a fireball. Delbert suffered second degree burns on his head and hands and lost all of his possessions in the fire.

Congressman Greg Walden, whose district includes most of Eastern Oregon, says it’s inexcusable. Walden blames V.A. red tape and a lack of urgency for the delay in hiring caseworkers.

A spokesman for the V.A. says it’s been difficult finding licensed social workers in rural areas. Congress funded the hiring of 1,235 caseworkers to administer the HUD-VASH program. The money was available in July of 2010. So far 842 (73%) of the jobs have been filled.  The jobs pay between $68,000 and $89,000. The candidates are required to have a masters degree in social work.

Walden argues that in a state with double digit unemployment, the V.A. should have no problem filling those positions. Congress appropriated $75 million in 2010 and $151 million in 2011 for the HUD-VASH program.

Back in Bend, we got a first-hand look at the problem of chronic homelessness among veterans. We went to a camp along some railroad tracks just outside the city. There were several men living in tents. One flew an American flag, two flew the POW-MIA flag. We were told one tent housed a family; a vet, his wife and two teenage daughters. All would likely qualify for the housing vouchers which will pay up to $675. per month for up to 5 years.

The Portland V.A. has just hired a caseworker to administer the vouchers in Bend, but it will apparently take several weeks before she is in place and getting the money to those in desperate need.