National Unsheltered Veterans surge event makes significant impact in Tucson

The weeklong event featured coordinated efforts to provide immediate housing and essential services to Veterans living on the streets.

During the surge event, 109 Veterans were engaged, showcasing the impact and reach of the initiative. The results of the event included:

• 19 Veterans were placed in Grant and Per Diem (GPD) transitional housing.
• 4 Veterans were placed in Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Contract Residential Services (CRS).
• 2 Veterans were placed in Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA).
• 2 Veterans were placed in a Permanent Housing (PH) setting.
• 6 Veterans refused any housing placement.
• 5 Veterans were sheltered in community agencies.

South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela expressed her gratitude for the event. "I’m just really excited about this event. It’s just the beginning of a bigger collaboration between nonprofits and local resources that we desperately need," she said. “We’re grateful and honored to have the VA here, showing presence and building trust."

Dr. Domonicque Tatum, Chief of the Homeless Program for SAVAHCS, elaborated on the event's goals and successes. " At our Homeless Veterans Surge Event, we targeted homeless Veterans to get them off the streets immediately the same day. All week we've been out in the community, to find and identify Veterans looking for housing, getting them lined up with our services and community partners," said Dr. Tatum. "This has been a great event with a lot of effort from our partners and staff, and we're very proud of it."

Dr. Peter Redding, who runs the SAVAHCS mobile medical unit program, discussed the ongoing impact of the surge event. "Our goal is that the standard of care in the mobile unit matches what you get at the VA. We go out twice a week with a team that includes a nurse, a social worker, and a family doctor, providing almost full-spectrum care," Dr. Redding shared. "This helps us meet people where they are and keep that relationship going, breaking down barriers like transportation issues and lack of trust."

Justin Figueroa, a Resource Specialist with Project Action for Veterans, shared a heartwarming success story from the event. "We assisted one Veteran and his significant other seeking permanent housing. Within approximately two hours, we completed their intake process and got them approved for the program. Just minutes after approval, we secured a pre-inspected apartment for them, and within about four hours, we had them moved in with general household items to furnish their new home."

The event highlighted the need for continued support and collaboration among local organizations, nonprofits, and government bodies to address the unique challenges faced by unsheltered Veterans.

“These Veterans have served our country, and it’s our turn to give back," Mayor Valenzuela emphasized. "We have a lot of heart in this, and we’re going to continue serving them with passion and dedication."

For more information on how to connect with services for homeless Veterans, contact the Homeless Veterans Hotline at or call the SAVAHCS Homeless Program at .