Veterans

The Administration has committed to ending veterans' homelessness, but it will need improved policy to make that goal a reality.

The Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released a supplemental report to the 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress on veterans. The supplement estimated that 76,000 veterans experience homelessness on any given night.

President Obama and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki have made ending veterans homelessness a top priority, prompting Congress to explore several legislative solutions to the problem. In order to truly end homelessness among veterans, resources must be available to identify every veteran who is homeless or about to become homeless. Programs must be able to immediately secure the needed housing and services for individuals and/or their families.

The key elements of a solution to veterans’ homelessness include:

  • Permanent supportive housing;
  • Temporary housing/services and re-housing;
  • Rapidly re-housing homeless and at-risk veterans;
  • Assessing housing status at discharge and afterwards; and
  • More housing options.

Spotlight

Report | April 24, 2013
This one-page brief shows the change in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States by state from 2011 to 2012, as well as the annual reductions in homelessness needed in order to meet the Administration's goal of ending veteran homelessness by 2015.
Fact Sheets | January 7, 2013
This resource provides a breakdown of the amount of funding per state that should be available in 2013 under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant program based on the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in 2010, as compared to the total amount of SSVF funding each state received in 2012.
Webinar | December 13, 2012
Orginally aired on Wednesday, December 12, this webinar explains the application process for grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. In addition to discussing rapid re-housing basics, and the application process, speakers provide helpful advice on program design and give pointers for creating an effective application.
Federal Policy Brief | July 15, 2012
The fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget proposal by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) includes increases for VA homeless programs that, while modest in amount, will have a powerful impact in reducing the number of veterans living on the street. VA’s proposal is precisely what is needed in the upcoming year to stay on target with VA’s plan to end veteran homelessness by 2015.
Federal Policy Brief | April 19, 2012
As many as 20 percent of the runaway and homeless youth population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ). This suggests as many as 80,000 LGBTQ youth are homeless for over a week each year. These young people face particular difficulties. Ending homelessness for LGBTQ youth will require specific policies to address those difficulties.
Report | November 4, 2011
This one-page brief shows the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States and the annual reductions in homelessness necessary in order to end veterans homelessness in five years.

Library Resources

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Advocacy Resource | February 22, 2012
SSVF uses proven, cost-effective models to serve tens of thousands of homeless veterans and their families by either preventing their homelessness from occurring in the first place, or quickly moving them out of homelessness and into sustainable housing.
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Federal Policy Brief | January 18, 2012
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued a final regulation to implement changes to the definition of homelessness contained in the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. The new definition is outlined here.
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Federal Policy Brief | July 28, 2009
As VA’s only permanent supportive housing intervention, HUD-VASH must be an integral part of ending homelessness for veterans. This document provides advocates and policymakers with a number of specific areas for improvement and recommendations to improve targeting and administration of HUD-VASH in the service of homeless veterans.