March 14 (UPI) — The Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday announced a plan to provide housing for at least 41,000 veterans who are experiencing homelessness.
“Even one veteran experiencing homelessness is a top priority of VA and the entire Biden administration,” the VA said in a press release Thursday.
“Thanks in part to VA’s efforts, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by nearly 5% since early 2020 and by more than 52% since 2010,” the VA said.
The VA said there would be a particular focus on homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area.
“During 2023, VA provided 1,790 permanent housing placements to formerly homeless veterans in L.A., the most of any city in America,” the VA said.
The VA says it plans to permanently house at least 1,605 veterans in the L.A. area and engage with at least 2,184 to try and initiate the housing process.
The VA says its veteran outreach is based on a “housing first” approach, which prioritizes housing as a launching point to help people advance their goals.
“Our first priority is to get them into the housing they deserve,” said VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher.
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, homelessness increased by 12% in 2023 up to 650,000 unhoused people.
The Biden administration has launched a series of initiatives aimed at combating veteran homelessness.
In June, the White House announced the Continuum of Care program, which will invest $3.1 billion into efforts to combat veteran homelessness.
In November, the Labor Department announced plans to increase career training services for veterans.
The VA included instructions for homeless veterans to reach out for help in Thursday’s press release.
If you are a Veteran who is experiencing 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.
