The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that it has surpassed its calendar year goal to house 38,000 homeless Veterans, two months ahead of schedule. As of October 2023, the VA has permanently housed 38,847 homeless Veterans.
In addition, the VA has engaged with 34,498 unsheltered Veterans — exceeding the Department’s calendar year goal by 123% — to help them access housing and necessary resources. The VA has also ensured that 96.2% of Veterans housed have remained in housing, surpassing the Department’s calendar year goal by 1.2%. Furthermore, 93.1% of Veterans who returned to homelessness have been rehoused or are on a pathway to rehousing, exceeding the Department’s calendar year goal by 3.1%.
Ending Veteran homelessness is a top priority for both the VA and President Biden, who has highlighted support for Veterans as a key pillar of his Unity Agenda. In 2022 alone, the VA housed over 40,000 formerly homeless Veterans, prevented over 17,700 Veterans and their families from falling into homelessness, and helped nearly 191,700 additional Veteran families experiencing financial difficulties to retain their homes or avoid foreclosure. These efforts have contributed to an 11% decrease in Veteran homelessness since early 2020 and a reduction of more than 55% since 2010.
VA Secretary Denis McDonough stated, “More than 38,000 Veterans now have the safe, stable homes that they deserve — and there’s nothing more important than that. While we met our goals for 2023, we’re not stopping here. We’re going to keep pushing — through the end of this calendar year and beyond — until every Veteran has a safe, stable place to call home in this country they fought to defend.”
The VA’s strategy to combat Veteran homelessness centers around understanding the unique needs of homeless Veterans and addressing them. This involves using the evidence-based “Housing First” approach, which prioritizes housing Veterans and then providing them with comprehensive support, including healthcare, job training, legal and educational assistance, and more.
The VA has also made significant strides in the Greater Los Angeles area, providing 1,464 homeless Veterans with permanent housing so far this year, the highest number in any American city. The figure is on track to exceed the VA’s calendar year goal for 2023. Last year, the VA provided 1,301 permanent housing placements to formerly homeless Veterans in LA, again the highest number in any American city.
VA staff and community partners across the country are helping Veterans find permanent housing, such as apartments or houses to rent or own, often with subsidies to make the housing affordable. In some cases, VA staff and partners help Veterans end their homelessness by reuniting them with family and friends. For more information, visit VA.gov/homeless.
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