The Department of Veterans Affairs has set a target of providing permanent housing for 41,000 homeless veterans by fiscal year 2024.
“It is truly heartbreaking to witness even a single veteran experiencing homelessness,” expressed VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher during her announcement of the goal on March 15 at the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center.
VA has made a commitment to ensure that in FY 2024, no less than 95 percent of the veterans who are provided housing will not experience homelessness again. Additionally, VA aims to reach out to at least 40,000 unsheltered veterans to assist them in accessing housing and other essential support services.
In 2023, the VA successfully provided permanent housing for 46,552 homeless veterans, exceeding its goal of housing 38,000 veterans by 22.5 percent.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s January 2023 point-in-time count revealed a concerning trend in veteran homelessness. The total number of veterans experiencing homelessness reached 35,574, marking a 7.4 percent increase compared to January 2022. This is the first increase observed in the past six years.
VA and HUD collaborated on 10 national HUD-VASH boot camps. These workshops brought together local VA homeless program staff and public housing agencies from all over the country for two-day intensive sessions. The goal was to enhance coordination efforts and expedite the process of rehousing veterans. In 2023, the HUD-VASH program successfully assisted more than 21,000 veterans in transitioning out of homelessness and securing permanent affordable housing with necessary support services.
Bradsher emphasized the organization’s primary focus on securing housing for homeless veterans. He stated, “Our top priority is to ensure that they are provided with the housing they rightly deserve.” Furthermore, Bradsher highlighted the organization’s commitment to offering comprehensive support to veterans, including healthcare, job training, legal aid, and education assistance. By providing these essential resources, the organization aims to surpass its goals by 2024.
In the Greater Los Angeles area, there were specific objectives set to address veteran homelessness. In 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) successfully facilitated 1,790 permanent housing arrangements for veterans who were previously homeless. This accomplishment in LA surpassed the targets set for the city by over 19%, making it the leading city in the United States in terms of providing housing for homeless veterans.
In FY 2024, VA plans to continue its efforts in addressing veteran homelessness by providing permanent housing to a minimum of 1,605 veterans who are experiencing homelessness. Additionally, they aim to reach out to at least 2,184 unsheltered veterans and assist them in securing housing and accessing various supportive services.