Wilmington VA has housed 161 homeless Veterans

Wilmington VA has housed 161 Veterans who were experiencing homelessness in Delaware and southern New Jersey this fiscal year.

A total of 112.2% of these Veterans have not returned to homelessness and 171 unsheltered Veterans in this network have been engaged to ensure they have access to the housing and other wraparound services they need.

Nationally, during this same time period, VA housed 43,116 Veterans who were experiencing homelessness, surpassing its fiscal year 2024 goal to house 41,000 Veterans a month earlier than anticipated. A total of 96.3% of the Veterans housed have not returned to homelessness and 38,476 unsheltered Veterans have been engaged nationally.

Preventing and eliminating Veteran homelessness is a top priority for VA. Between 2022 and 2023, VA permanently housed nearly 87,000 Veterans. As a result of these efforts, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S. has fallen by over 4% since early 2020 and by more than 52% since 2010.

“We won’t rest until every Veteran has a home.”

“No person who has served this country should ever have to experience homelessness,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “As a result of this year’s efforts, more than 43,000 formerly homeless Veterans now have access to the homes that they deserve. And make no mistake, we won’t rest until every Veteran has a safe, stable, accessible and affordable home to call their own.”

VA and the entire administration have taken considerable steps this year to combat Veteran homelessness. This week, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness released the federal government’s first ever framework for homelessness prevention and launched a new series spotlighting local and federal efforts to prevent homelessness.

Last month, VA awarded more than $800 million in grants via its Supportive Services for Veteran Families and Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem programs, and in July awarded over $26 million in grants to support legal services for Veterans facing homelessness.

Additionally, last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and VA announced policy changes that will help more Veterans receive housing assistance under the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.

Housing First gets a Veteran into housing then services

VA’s efforts to combat Veteran homelessness are grounded in reaching out to homeless Veterans, understanding their unique needs and addressing them. These efforts are built on the “Housing First” approach, which prioritizes getting a Veteran into housing, then providing or connecting them with the wraparound services and supports they need to stay housed, including health care, job training, legal and education assistance, and more.

Everyday, VA staff and VA’s community partners nationwide help Veterans find permanent housing, such as apartments or houses to rent or own, often with subsidies to help make the housing affordable. In some cases, VA staff and partners help Veterans end their homelessness by reuniting them with family and friends.

Learn about housing initiatives and other programs supporting Veterans experiencing homelessness.

If you are a Veteran who is experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838) or visit VA.gov/homeless.