VA’s goal to prevent and end Veteran homelessness in 2023

Housing more than 40,000 homeless Veterans last year was an important step toward ending Veteran homelessness. Yet, as VA staff celebrated what was described as, “A win for our Veterans, VA and America,” they also wondered, “What’s next?” As long as one Veteran is without a place to call home in the country they served, there is work to be done.

2023 goals

To continue the critical mission of preventing and ending Veteran homelessness in America, in 2023, VA will:

• Place at least 38,000 more Veterans experiencing homelessness into permanent housing.
• Ensure that at least 95% of the Veterans housed in 2023 do not return to homelessness during the year. And of those who return to homelessness, VA will ensure that at least 90% are rehoused or on a path to rehousing by the end of 2023.
• Engage with at least 28,000 unsheltered Veterans to help them obtain housing and other wraparound services. This goal represents a more than 10% increase in the number of unsheltered Veterans reached during 2022.

Just as in 2022, VA will aim to place at least 38,000 Veterans into permanent housing this year.

Goals will be impactful, sustainable

VA’s goal is to deliver more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before.

When setting 2022’s goal to place 38,000 Veterans into permanent housing, we found that increasing the number of national permanent housing placements by 5% from 2021 was ambitious, yet achievable.

As the overall number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in America has declined in recent years, aiming to house 38,000 more homeless Veterans in 2023 is still a target that will be both impactful and sustainable.

“Permanent housing is a journey”

This year’s goals will expand upon 2022’s efforts with an additional emphasis on preventing returns to homelessness.

Of the 40,401 Veterans housed by VA in 2022, 2,443 returned to homelessness at some point last year, and 86% of those Veterans were rehoused or on a path to rehousing by the end of the year with the help of VA and community partners.

“We sometimes say that permanent housing is a journey,” said Jill Albanese, director of clinical operations and senior advisor for the VHA Homeless Programs Office. While the term “permanent housing” implies Veterans are placed into stable, long-term arrangements that are not transitional, the term “permanent” does not necessarily mean the Veteran remains in the same housing arrangement forever.

Some Veterans may move to new cities or states, often to be closer to family or for a new job, while others can experience changing medical or financial circumstances that make a new living arrangement necessary.

Outreach to unsheltered Veterans

The final component of this year’s goal focuses on increasing the outreach and services provided to unsheltered Veterans.

Unsheltered homelessness is when a person has a primary nighttime location that is typically not a place where individuals sleep, such as streets, vehicles or parks.

While unsheltered homelessness declined by nearly 56% between 2010 and 2022, 41% of all homeless Veterans were unsheltered in 2022.

In a special episode of the Ending Veteran Homelessness podcast, Director of Communications and host Shawn Liu asked, “Can we do this?”

Learn about VA programs

• If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk for homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838).
• Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.
• Check out the Ending Veteran Homelessness podcast to learn more about what VA is doing about Veteran homelessness.
• Learn about how to get involved with housing homeless Veterans.
• For more stories like these, subscribe to the Homeless Programs Office newsletter to receive monthly updates about programs and supportive services for Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.