Skid Row, Downtown Los Angeles, California (Photo: Russ Allison Liar)
On Thursday, the VA revealed a strategy to house at least 41,000 homeless Veterans.
“The VA and the Biden administration consider even one Homeless Veteran to be a top priority,” the VA stated in a news release on Thursday.
“Thanks in part to VA’s efforts, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by nearly 5% since early 2020 and by more than 52% since 2010,” the VA said.
The VA stated that Veterans who are homeless in the area surrounding Los Angeles will receive particular focus.
“During 2023, VA provided 1,790 permanent housing placements to formerly homeless Veterans in L.A., the most of any city in America,” as stated by the VA.
At least 2,184 Veterans will be contacted in an effort to initiate the housing process, and at least 1,605 Veterans will have permanent housing in the Los Angeles area. The VA says the foundation of their Veteran outreach is a “housing first” strategy, which emphasizes housing as a starting point for assisting people. Assistance will include rental help, housing vouchers, and other types of aid.
“Getting them into the housing they deserve is our first priority,” stated VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher.
Homelessness increased by 12% in 2023 up to 650,000 unhoused people, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
A number of programs have been started by the Biden administration to address Veteran homelessness. The Continuum of Care initiative, which will provide $3.1 billion to efforts to end Veteran homelessness, was unveiled by the White House in June. The Labor Department declared in November that it will expand Veteran career training programs.
For fiscal 2024, VA funding for homeless programs is $3.1 billion, up by more than $400 million from 2023. The VA anticipates it will need $3.21 billion in 2025 for its homeless programs, according to projections in fiscal 2025 budget documents.
Homelessness has been a chronic problem for Veterans for decades as Service Members return to civilian life with physical disabilities from injuries and mental health problems related to combat experiences, the VA said. The VA has increased its efforts in recent years to offer career training, mental health counseling, disability payments, and rapid house placement to Veterans.
The VA is putting more of an emphasis on its outreach in 2024 in an effort to interact with the thousands of Homeless Veterans who live in cars, parks, or on the streets. Forty thousand homeless Veterans were “engaged” in 2023 with information on food assistance, housing, and other services.
Veterans experiencing homelessness can call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838). For information on housing and other services for Veterans who are not housed, go to the VA Homeless Programs webpage.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
