New York veterans agency to host free VA home loan webinar Aug. 19

The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services will hold a free virtual Chat & Chew on Aug. 19 to help veterans, service members and military families understand and use VA home loan benefits. The event is aimed at boosting homeownership, financial stability and long-term wealth building.

Why it matters: - The VA Home Loan can help eligible veterans, service members and some surviving spouses buy, build, improve or refinance a home. - The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services says better education on the benefit can help families avoid missed opportunities and financial losses. - Homeownership can support stability and long-term wealth building for military families.

What happened: - The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services will host a free virtual conversation on Aug. 19 called “Veterans Mean Business!” - The one-hour event runs from 10 to 11 a.m. and is part of DVS’s Chat & Chew series. - The program is free and open to veterans, service members and military families across New York State. - Registration is available here.

The details: - Michelle Viola Straight, Executive Director of Military Home Loan Benefits at ClearPath Mortgage Solutions, will appear as the featured guest. - Straight has more than 35 years of experience in VA housing, real estate investing and veteran advocacy. - DVS Special Assistant for Community Engagement Dr. Lessie Branch will host the program. - Branch is an award-winning author, scholar, advocate and U.S. Navy veteran. - DVS said the session is designed to help participants better understand the VA Home Loan benefit and how to maximize it. - The agency says misconceptions and low awareness can keep eligible people from fully using the program. - DVS says advance registration is strongly encouraged.

Between the lines: - The event is positioned as more than a benefits briefing. - DVS is framing homeownership as a pathway to stability, confidence and generational wealth. - The agency is also trying to close an awareness gap that can limit use of earned benefits. - Straight said the core challenge in the military community is not the lack of benefits but the lack of awareness about how to maximize them. - Branch said participants should leave with practical information and questions they may not have thought to ask.

What's next: - Veterans, service members and military families can register ahead of the Aug. 19 program and join online via Webex. - DVS encourages media outlets and community members to share the event with others who may benefit. - The department says eligible veterans and families can also contact DVS at 888-838-7697 or through its website to meet with an accredited Veterans Benefits Advisor. - DVS also points people to its social channels on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Threads and Bluesky.

The bottom line: - New York is using a free virtual event to help military families turn a commonly misunderstood benefit into a practical homeownership tool.