Homelessness among veterans drops to record low levels

The number of homeless veterans in America dropped to its lowest level on record this year, down more than 55% over the last 14 years, according to data released by the Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday.

The improvement comes after three years of aggressive efforts by department leaders to quickly find permanent housing for veterans facing economic hardship and mental health challenges. Officials announced earlier this fall they had helped place nearly 48,000 veterans in stable housing in fiscal 2024 alone, and more than 133,000 over the last three years.

The estimate of veterans dealing with homelessness comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual point-in-time count, conducted each January. This year, face-to-face surveys across the country found 32,882 veterans living on the street without stable housing, a reduction of about 2,700 individuals from the 2023 count.

In a statement, VA Secretary Denis McDonough called that estimate an encouraging sign.

“No veteran should experience homelessness in this country they swore to defend,” he said. “This year’s PIT Count shows that VA and the entire Biden-Harris administration are making real progress in the fight to end veteran homelessness. We still have a long way to go, but we will not stop until every veteran has a safe, stable place to call home.”

In 2010, President Barack Obama announced a nationwide push to end homelessness among veterans, an ambitious goal that advocates hailed as a turning point in outreach efforts to struggling veterans. That included better tracking of the number of homeless veterans, since that data had not been monitored on a reliable basis.

At the time, federal agencies estimated that as many as 74,000 were without stable housing on any given night in America.

U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness Director Jeff Olivet said that the steady decrease shows that “with the right investments in housing and health care, and with strong leadership and coordination across government, homelessness is solvable.”

So far in 2024, VA has awarded more than $800 million in grants to help veterans experiencing homelessness. In recent years the department has also expanded legal services for veterans without stable housing and eased eligibility rules for veterans to receive assistance before facing homelessness.

The full point-in-time count report from HUD, which shows trends on homelessness among all Americans, is expected to be released in the next few weeks.

Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans, said the latest numbers are encouraging news for homeless advocates.

“The return to decreases in veteran homelessness estimates reflects the power of community work, the impact of housing-focused interventions, and the tenacity we see every day from organizations on the front lines of responding to this emergency,” she said. “These results remind us that when we come together with the intent to create systemic change, we can improve access to housing for veterans.”

Veterans currently experiencing homelessness or related financial problems can contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 or visit the department’s website for more information.