The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Thursday that it exceeded its 2022 goals for housing for homeless veterans.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough set a goal of housing 38,000 veterans by the end of last year. The agency said 40,401 veterans had permanent housing, exceeding the goal by 6.3%.
McDonough said ending veteran homelessness was a top priority. “We at the VA will not rest until the phrase ‘Homeless Veteran’ is a thing of the past,” he said in a news release.
The number of homeless veterans in the US has decreased by 11% since January 2020 and by more than 55% since 2010, according to VA.
On a call with reporters, Mónica Díaz, executive director of the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Homeless Programs, attributed the agency’s success to efficient use of grants and what she called a community-based approach. evidence and housing-based to end homelessness. The approach prioritizes getting housing for veterans, then providing supportive services, including health care and job training, as well as any necessary mental health or substance dependency interventions to help veterans stay in housing.
Diaz also said his office has implemented a robust homelessness prevention program that seeks out veterans who may be at risk of homelessness and offers support services to help them avoid it.
In an interview ahead of Veterans Day last year, McDonough touted the approach, crediting the generosity of the American people as a key factor in reaching his housing goals and keeping veterans housed.
“We have the resources to start addressing those challenges with comprehensive services,” McDonough said. “Then the reason the vet was homeless in the first place is addressed. Using that, I’m confident we’ll get to zero.»
Diaz told reporters that his office is also tracking veterans who have been helped find housing to make sure they stay in their new homes. She said the VA is working to set new goals to house more veterans in the future.
Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can call the National Center for Veterans Homelessness at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838).