The Whole of Government Response to Homelessness - VA Homeless Programs
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The Whole of Government Response to Homelessness

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and VA released a fact sheet that details the ongoing joint efforts by federal agencies and their state, local, and non-governmental partners to prevent and end homelessness among Veterans. The ultimate goal of the whole of government response is to ensure every Veteran has permanent, sustainable housing and access to high-quality health care and supportive services.

The following six strategies represent the partner organizations’ multi-year, comprehensive approach to ensure every Veteran has a safe and stable place to call home:

  1. Making ending Veteran homelessness a top priority.
  2. Leading with an evidence-based housing first approach.
  3. Reaching underserved Veterans.
  4. Increasing the supply of and access to affordable housing.
  5. Ensuring the delivery of quality support services.
  6. Preventing homelessness among Veterans.

The Plan to Accelerate Progress

The number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States has declined by nearly half since 2010, and more than 850,000 Veterans and their families have exited homelessness or were prevented from losing their housing since then. In 2020, more than 36,000 fewer Veterans were experiencing homelessness than in 2010, a nearly 50 percent reduction. Despite the overall decrease in Veteran homelessness, progress has stalled since 2016.

Through the strategies above, VA and its federal, state, local and non-governmental partners are working aggressively to more quickly identify Veterans facing housing crises and connect them to permanent supportive housing solutions. Five states – California, Florida, Texas, Washington, and Oregon – account for more than half of all Veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States. To accelerate progress, VA and its partners will continue to use data to target evidence-based interventions based on need, to ensure Veterans have access to the housing and supportive services that they have earned and deserve.

For more information, read the fact sheet.

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