Homelessness Research Institute Releases New Report on Homeless Veterans

Date: 8 Nov 2007

Author: National Alliance to End Homelessness

Revised November 10, 2007

Contact: Lauren Wright
202-942-8246, lwright@naeh.org

Report finds 195,827 veterans were homeless in January 2006 and an estimated 336,627 were homeless over the course of the year.

Washington, DC – The Homelessness Research Institute, the research and education arm of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, released new research today on the number of homeless veterans. The report, Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans, is the first to provide data on the number of homeless veterans and the number of at-risk veterans experiencing severe housing cost burden in every state in the country. The report also examines the impact of high housing costs on low-income veteran renters, and makes recommendations on how to prevent and end homelessness.

• A total of 195,827 homeless veterans slept on the street, in shelter, or in transitional housing on any given night in 2006 and 336,627 were homeless over the course of the year, according to the analysis. The states with the highest rate of homeless veterans include Louisiana and California. The District of Columbia also has a high rate of homeless.
• The report exposes a shockingly disproportionate representation of veterans among the homeless population. Veterans, who represent only 11 percent of the civilian adult population, comprise 26 percent of the homeless population, despite the fact that, as a group, they typically have a lower poverty rate than the general population.
• Approximately 44,000 to 64,000 veterans were chronically homeless (i.e., homeless for long periods or repeatedly and with a disability).
• While veterans are generally well housed, a subset of the population (467,877 veterans) were experiencing severe housing cost burden, paying more than 50 percent of their income for rent, which puts them at a high risk for homelessness. The states with the highest percentage of veterans experiencing housing cost burden include Rhode Island, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. The District of Columbia has the highest rate.

“These findings highlight the need to provide veterans with the proper housing and supportive services to prevent homelessness from occurring in the first place. If we can do that, then we can greatly reduce the number of homeless veterans in general,” said Nan Roman, President of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “We recognize that ending homelessness among veterans is a significant yet achievable goal. The report outlines some preliminary policy steps that can be taken to shift our course so that no veteran is homeless.”

The report calculates that in order to reduce chronic homelessness among veterans by half, permanent supportive housing (housing linked with supportive services) needs to be increased by 25,000 units and the number of housing vouchers targeted to veterans needs to be expanded to 20,000.

In addition to increasing federal funding for affordable housing, the report recommends that the federal government establish a risk assessment process during the first 30 days of discharge and pilot a homelessness prevention program that includes eviction prevention and one-time assistance for veterans who fall behind on their rent. These programs would help prevent homelessness among the many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who are returning from the current conflict.

Researchers estimate that acting on these recommendations would cost approximately $6.4 billion dollars and would reduce homelessness among all veterans by one-quarter and prevent homelessness among thousands more.

“It is our responsibility as a nation to support those who have served our country by, at a minimum, providing them with the stable housing and necessary supports to avoid homelessness,” Roman said.

Fannie Mae also released a new Gallup poll today that found nearly a quarter (24 percent) of veterans indicate they have been concerned they may not have a place to live, and 86 percent of veterans think that homelessness among veterans is increasing or staying the same. The company also announced a $200,000 grant to Common Ground that will enable them to build more permanent supportive housing units for veterans.

“Those who have defended our homeland should have a home to call their own,” said Daniel Mudd, President and CEO of Fannie Mae. “Our veterans served America and America must serve them. Fannie Mae is committed to implementing programs to prevent and end homelessness in America. We are pleased to ramp up our partnerships with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, Common Ground and other leading organizations that share our commitment and will work toward real solutions.”

Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans analyzes data collected by local Veterans Affairs contacts. These data are not without limitations and should be used as estimates rather than precise counts. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey were used for the housing cost burden analysis.

Note: Due to a calculation error, an earlier version of the report incorrectly listed the estimated number of homeless veterans over the course of a year as 495,400. The correct estimate is 336,627. The posted report reflects this correction.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, mission- driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. The Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost- effective policy solutions. Working collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, the Alliance provides data and research that lead to stronger programs and policies that help communities achieve their goal of ending homelessness. For more information on The National Alliance to End Homelessness, visit: www.endhomelessness.org