No veteran should experience homelessness. Unfortunately, many veterans do. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) runs several programs to address this issue. To succeed, though, it will need assistance from individuals and organizations alike.
According to the VA, there were 33,129 veterans homeless on a single night in January 2022. This was 11 percent fewer than the 37,252 cases reported on a single night in January 2020.
Of the veterans who were homeless in 2022, 19,572 were sheltered in emergency shelters and other forms of transitional housing, while 13,564 were not. Certain factors increase the risk of a veteran being homeless and unsheltered. They include post-traumatic stress disorder, disability or illness, lack of social support, and substance use. Others are low income, lack of access to affordable housing, and low VA healthcare service use.
Notably, age and good education are not hindrances to veterans becoming homeless. In fact, in 2022, veterans who were homeless and unsheltered tended to be younger in age (below 49 years) and educated, having some college education.
The U.S. government, through the VA, is committed to ending veteran homelessness. And it has achieved significant progress since it began its coordinated efforts to this end in 2010. That year, there were over 74,000 veterans who were homeless. The number has been more than halved in the years since. In addition, 83 communities and three states in the country (Connecticut, Delaware, and Virginia) have effectively ended veteran homelessness.
The VA follows the evidence-based Housing First model of care to serve veterans who are homeless. Through it, the VA first gets veterans into stable housing, and then provides individualized supportive care services to each veteran. Research shows this approach has better long-term outcomes than others, especially with regard to veterans’ health.
For housing, the VA ensures veterans have access to stable housing by collaborating with public housing authorities to distribute housing vouchers to eligible veterans. It also funds about 600 agencies that provide transitional housing to veterans who meet the requirements. In case veterans can’t find housing because they had trouble with the law before due to substance use or clinical issues, the VA has specialists in its VA medical centers to help transition veterans from prison to stable housing.
For support services, the VA partners with clinically-trained specialists in VA medical centers to reach and offer health care services to veterans who are homeless. It also partners with community employment coordinators across the country to petition more employers to hire veterans exiting homelessness. There are also programs that help veterans access legal and transportation services.
These initiatives have gone a long way to reduce and prevent veteran homelessness. In 2022, for example, VA services ensured 64,200 veterans in 50 states were housed or prevented from becoming homeless. The VA also helped 11,800 veterans find employment and 269,000 veterans get transportation to reach hospitals or workplaces.
However, more work is necessary to get tens of thousands of veterans into stable housing. Local communities and organizations can play a big role.
Communities can borrow a leaf from their peers that have eradicated veteran homeless. One of the programs that works is identifying all veterans who are homeless and sharing their details across systems for coordinated care. Community groups can further urge local landlords to admit veterans exiting homelessness or create a fund to help veterans moving into new homes to pay the security deposit or cover the cost of move-in essentials like beddings and kitchen items.
Organizations can play a role by collaborating with VA employment coordinators to get more veterans employed. They can also share information on VA services for veterans who are homeless at their offices, offer discounted services to veterans, or participate in Stand Downs. Stand Downs are collaborative events between the VA and private organizations where veterans can receive clothing, food, or health screenings. This support can help them save money for housing.
