Preventing homelessness of Veterans impacted by job loss

When you live paycheck to paycheck—as many Americans and many Veterans do—just one major life event can disrupt your economic stability and increase your risk of becoming homeless.

With layoffs on the rise nationwide, we want to make sure Veterans are aware of the VA resources available to help them avoid facing homelessness or get rapidly rehoused.

We have staff on standby around the clock to provide support. If you or a Veteran you know needs immediate assistance to avoid homelessness, please call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-4AID VET or (877) 424-3838. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Resources available

If you are facing layoffs or housing instability, VA staff can direct you to the appropriate resources and supportive services offered by VA, our partners and other government agencies. This includes:

• Legal aid resources. Find free legal clinics on the VA Office of General Counsel’s website and use national directories of legal service providers, including Stateside Legal and ABA Home Front, to find legal service providers to help you avoid eviction.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families. SSVF provides case management and supportive services to prevent homelessness or rapidly re-house Veterans and their families who are homeless. SSVF’s Shallow Subsidy services provide a modest subsidy for two years to extremely low-income Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Call 1-877-4AID VET or (877) 424-3838 to learn more.
• Employment services. VA can help you regain employment, reestablish financial and housing security, and reclaim your independence. Some programs available include:
  • Homeless Veterans Community Employment Services (HVCES), which provides homeless Veterans with vocational assistance, job development and placement, and ongoing supports to improve employment outcomes. Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program is a national vocational program that partners with employers to provide Veteran candidates for employment.
  • Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program, which helps Veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs by providing comprehensive rehabilitation evaluations.

Learn about VA programs 

• If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk for homelessness, or need to connect with a Veterans justice outreach specialist, 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 how to get involved with housing homeless Veterans.
• Subscribe to the Homeless Programs Office newsletter to receive monthly updates about programs and supportive services for Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.