Veteran homelessness reaches record low, decreasing by 7.5% since 2023

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness announced results of the 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, which show a record low in Veteran homelessness since measurement began in 2009 and a 7.5% decrease since 2023. Overall, the data shows a 11.7% reduction in Veterans experiencing homelessness since 2020 and a 55.6% reduction since 2010.

The PIT Count is an annual count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The data show there were 32,882 Veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States in January 2024, 13,851 of whom were unsheltered — down from 35,574 and 15,507 in 2023, respectively. This represents a 10.7% decrease in unsheltered Veteran homelessness nationwide in the last year. 

Last month, VA announced it permanently housed nearly 48,000 homeless Veterans in fiscal year 2024 — and 134,000 Veterans since 2022. This progress demonstrates the impact of the VA and entire Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing nationwide efforts to combat Veteran homelessness.

“No Veteran should experience homelessness in this country they swore to defend,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “This year’s PIT Count shows that VA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration are making real progress in the fight to end Veteran homelessness. We still have a long way to go, but we will not stop until every Veteran has a safe, stable place to call home.”

“Far too many of our nation’s veterans experience homelessness each year, and that is why HUD is laser-focused on ensuring that every Veteran has a home,” said HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman. “Today, thanks to interagency efforts by the entire Biden-Harris Administration and our partners on the ground, we are proud to announce a significant decline in Veteran homelessness this year.”

“This data show that with the right investments in housing and health care, and with strong leadership and coordination across government, homelessness is solvable,” said USICH Director Jeff Olivet. “The challenge now is to end Veteran homelessness and use the lessons we learn to help all people without a home.”

VA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration are aggressively working to end Veteran homelessness nationwide. This year, VA awarded more than $800 million in grants to help Veterans experiencing homelessness. Additionally, USICH recently released the federal government’s first ever framework for homelessness prevention, and HUD and VA announced policy changes that will help more Veterans receive housing assistance under the HUD-VA Supportive Housing program.

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 evidence-based “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.

VA has also made progress in combating Veteran homelessness in the Greater Los Angeles area, permanently housing 1,854 homeless Veterans this fiscal year — the most of any city in America (for the third year in a row) and exceeding VA’s FY 2024 goals for this region by 15.5%. The Point-in Time count revealed a 22.9% reduction in Veterans experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles between 2023 and 2024.

If you are a Veteran who is experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838). Visit VA.gov/homeless to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans exiting homelessness.