Homeless Veteran care
There is nothing more important to VA than ending Veteran homelessness, and the dedicated VA staff will not rest until every Veteran has a good, safe, stable home in this country they fought to defend. If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) is here to help you. VAGLAHS offers a variety of emergency, transitional and permanent housing options, plus supportive services, which are all outlined below. VAGLAHS also offers a broad range of health and mental health services to help support your well-being.
For Veterans ready to start their journey out of homelessness
In addition to providing healthcare, VA administers the Transitional Housing Program (THP), providing over 1,000 beds across Greater Los Angeles catchment area. VA works with more than a dozen different community partners, each committed to providing Veterans in need with temporary shelter, food, and personal items to sustain them while seeking permanent housing
Temporary Housing Hotline
For temporary housing referrals, please call:
Monday - Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For a Veteran who needs temporary housing shelter outside of normal business hours, please call Volunteers of America (available 24/7) at 213-563-7979
Temporary Housing Program Contact List
For a comprehensive list of temporary housing providers, please click HERE
West LA VA Community Resource and Referral Center
Veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless can walk into what is commonly referred to as “the Welcome Center” during normal business hours and get connected with a VA social worker, receive a health screening, be referred to a temporary housing program, and access other services, including free legal and employment assistance.
11301 Wilshire Blvd, Building 257, Los Angeles, CA 90073
Monday - Friday
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information on the Welcome Center please see the fact sheet attached below.
Additional Resources
Veterans experiencing homelessness and seeking primary care services, contact Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams (HPACT) at 310-268-3566 and/or in Building 402 at the West LA VA.
To access VA 24/7 national hotline for homeless and at-risk Veteran services:
Dial 1-877-4AID-VET
1-877-424-3838
For Veterans ready to move into a permanent home
A partnership between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs – VA Supported Housing (VASH), HUD-VASH assists eligible Veterans and their families with subsidized permanent housing and case management. This program focuses on obtaining safe, affordable, accessible, and permanent housing in a location of the Veteran’s choice. HUD-VASH helps move Veterans and their families out of homelessness and provides support to sustain stabilized independent community living.
Please visit the Welcome Center or nearest HPACT location to begin a referral to HUD-VASH. Any VA provider will also be able to assist with a referral to the HUD-VASH program.
HUD-VASH FAQs
HUD-VASH Veteran Community units are fully subsidized apartments which means your rent will be calculated at about 30-40% of your income, and your rent will adjust with your income; so if your income lowers, your rent will too. These apartments also come with supportive services from the Veteran Affairs (VA) HUD-VASH program to support your transition to your new home. To view available HUD-VASH Community (Project-Based) vacancies please visit HERE.
You are not stuck in these units. After completion of the lease agreement of one year, residents can request a tenant-based voucher which they can use with private landlords to rent. These vouchers also calculate the resident’s rent at 30-40% of their income.
In greater Los Angeles, these sites often have current vacancies. This means some units are available now and you do not have to do a housing search to try to find a landlord. It may be a quicker way to move out of homelessness rather than waiting for other opportunities; and remember, at the end of 12 months, you could elect to transition to a tenant-based voucher.
After an initial screening or pre-screening to ensure that the eligibility criteria is met, potential Veteran Community applicants compile the necessary forms / documents to go through a process of approval (separately) with HUD-VASH, the Veteran Community (Project Based) site, and the Public Housing Authority. These approvals could happen separately or concurrently.
After the completed form is submitted, reach out to the corresponding building point of contact to begin the application process.
Yes, Tenant-Based vouchers may be accepted by any property manager or landlord willing to participate in HUD-VASH. Beyond the gratification of supporting Veterans, there are several benefits for property owners who participate in VA’s HUD-VASH supportive housing program, including a cash bonus for every new lease signed with a Veteran. To learn more about HUD-VASH, including how to participate in the program if you are a property owner, by clicking HERE. Visit the LA County Housing Resource Center database of landlords currently willing to accept HUD-VASH vouchers HERE.
For Veterans and their families who need a helping hand
VA works to prevent low-income Veterans and their families from falling into homelessness through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, which provides grants to local nonprofits and consumer cooperatives that specialize in assisting those who are struggling financially.
SSVF offers rapid re-housing for homeless Veterans and assists Veterans who face an imminent risk of homelessness through a mix of financial assistance and other services.
This assistance includes help to apply for benefits, enroll Veterans in job training and education programs, provide subsidized childcare, and connect Veterans to free legal services and transportation.
Learn more about SSVF HERE.
Learn more about SSVF service area provider coverage with the map below.
Supportive Services Veteran Families (SSVF) Service Planning Areas (SPA) Contacts
SPA 1 - Antelope Valley area
A : Mental Health America of Los Angeles (MHALA)
Outreach/Intake POC:
Ricky Valenzuela rvalenzuela@mhala.org 661-749-3002
Michelle Smith msmith@mhala.org 661-802-1461
B : Jewish Vocational Services (JVS)
Intake POC:
Screening Line ssvf@jvs-socal.org 626-377-4022 ext 50188
SPA 2 - San Fernando Valley and local surrounding areas
C : MHALA
Intake POC: Shontee Pettus spettus@mhala.org 661-802-8046
Maggie Marks mmarks@mhala.org 661-802-9024
D : The Salvation Army-C.I.S.
Intake POC:
Monique Lopez Monique.lopez@usw.salvationarmy.org 562-588-5048
Tony Hawks Jr. Tony.hawksjr@usw.salvationarmy.org 562-588-5029
SPA 3 - San Gabriel Valley and local surrounding areas
E : Volunteers of America (Volunteers of America LA)
Outreach/Intake POC:
Screening Line - 323-657-5550
Isis Sarni isarni@voala.org 626-869-3173
F : Jewish Vocational Services (JVS)
Intake POC:
Screening Line ssvf@jvs-socal.org 626-377-4022 ext 50188
SPA 4 - Downtown/Hollywood and local surrounding areas
G : Volunteers of America LA
Outreach/Intake POC:
Screening Line 323-657-5550
Intake POC: John Herbig jherbig@voala.org
Intake POC: Lorraine Cobos lcobos@voala.org
H : PATH
Intake POC:
Byron Avendano byrona@epath.org 323-365-8234
I : Village for Vets
Intake POC:
Screening Line ssvf@villageforvets.org 323-609-9206
SPA 5 - West Los Angeles/Culver City and local surrounding areas
J : PATH
Intake POC:
Byron Avendano byrona@epath.org 323-365-8234
Ariel Gaxiola arielg@epath.org 323-552-6967
K : The Salvation Army-C.I.S
Intake POC:
Rhonda Flowers Rhonda.flowers@usw.salvationarmy.org 310-694-6235
Khufu Feazell khufu.Feazell@usw.salvationarmy.org 310-694-2035
L : Village for Vets
Intake POC:
Screening Line ssvf@villageforvets.org 323-609-9206
SPA 6 - Crenshaw/Florence, Watts and local surrounding areas
M : Volunteers of America LA
Outreach/Intake POC:
Screening Line 323-657-5550
Intake POC:
Lorraine Cobos lcobos@voala.org
John Herbig jherbig@voala.org
N : The Salvation Army-C.I.S
Intake POC:
Monique Lopez Monique.lopez@usw.salvationarmy.org 562-588-5048
Tony Hawks Jr. Tony.hawksjr@usw.salvationarmy.org 562-588-5029
SPA 7 – Huntington Park, Lakewood, Whitter and local surrounding areas
O : The Salvation Army
Intake POC:
Jayme Smith Jayme.smith@usw.salvationarmy.org 562-907-8733
Sorangel Rodriguez Sorangel.rodriguez@usw.salvationarmy.org 323-480-0282
P : Volunteers of America LA
Outreach/Intake POC:
Screening Line 323-657-5550
Isis Sarni isarni@voala.org 626-869-3173
SPA 8 - Inglewood, Carson, and local surrounding areas
Q : USVETS-Inglewood
Intake POC:
Chasity Tillman ctillman@usvetsinc.org 310-946-8341
R : MHALA-LB
Outreach/Intake POC:
Simente Gordon sgordon@mhala.org 562-760-3875
S : USVETS-LB
Intake POC:
Donna Berry dberry1@usvets.org 562-936-8127
T : 1736 Family Crisis Center (Orange County and if needed SPA 6 and 7)
Intake POC:
Referral Line: 866-249-3350
Ed Gonzalez egonzalez@1736fcc.org 424-772-5668 Ext. 201
For Veterans seeking employment
Veterans Community Employee Development (VCED) program’s mission is to maximize Veterans' opportunities for competitive employment that serve as an essential component of Veteran recovery and integration into the community.
VCED provides a comprehensive range of rehabilitation services to inpatients and outpatients with impairments, disabilities and handicaps resulting from psychiatric, addiction, homelessness, and medical disorders.
These services and programs include core vocational rehabilitation assessment and case management services, work therapy, supported employment, and supportive programs for the seriously mentally ill and chronically homeless.
Contact VCED via email HERE.
Call the VCED hotline at 310-478-3711 Ext. 48086.
To learn more, read the VCED program brochure for an overview of services, eligibility criteria and consult process.
For justice-involved Veterans
The mission of the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program is to identify justice-involved Veterans and contact them through outreach to facilitate access to VA services at the earliest possible point. Veterans Justice Programs accomplish this by building and maintaining partnerships between VA and key elements of the criminal justice system.
VJO specialists are present in jails and courts, making connections with Veterans to inform them of options available to reduce sentencing or clear court cases through diversion programs, and ensure Veterans receive treatment to address unmet clinical needs that may have contributed to their involvement in the justice system. For more, visit https://www.va.gov/homeless/vjo.asp. VAGLAHS VJO specialist can be reached at 213-253-2677 Ext. 24793.
To learn more about VA’s support for justice-involved Veterans, watch an informational video HERE.
For additional data on Veteran housing placements and availability
Please visit the VA Greater Los Angeles Community Impact Analytics Dashboard HERE.