The U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) announced its 2023 goals for preventing and ending veteran homelessness on March 15. In 2023, the VA will aim to move at least 38,000 veterans experiencing homelessness into permanent housing and ensure that at least 95% of the veterans housed in 2023 do not return to homelessness during the year. Of those who do return to homelessness, the VA will ensure that at least 90% are rehoused or on a path to rehousing by the end of 2023. Additionally, the VA will engage with at least 28,000 unsheltered veterans in 2023 to help them obtain housing and wraparound services. The VA’s initiative is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s broader efforts to reduce homelessness for all Americans by 25% by 2025.
The number of veterans experiencing homelessness has decreased by 11% since early 2020 and by more than 55% since 2010. During 2022, the VA placed more than 40,000 veterans experiencing homelessness into permanent housing, exceeding its 2022 goal by more than 6%. The VA’s efforts to combat veteran homelessness are grounded in the evidence-based Housing First approach, which prioritizes helping veterans access housing and then providing them with voluntary wraparound services they need to stay housed – including health care, job training, legal and education assistance, and more.
The VA announced specific goals for combatting veteran homelessness in the Los Angeles area in 2023. During 2022, the VA provided 1,301 permanent housing placements to formerly homeless veterans, the most of any city in America. In 2023, VA will build on that progress by providing at least 1,500 permanent housing placements to unhoused veterans and conducting at least 1,888 engagements with unsheltered veterans to help them obtain housing and wraparound services.
Read the VA’s press release for more information at: https://bit.ly/3lpBUlV