Getting Veterans Off the Street

Despite significant progress in reducing homelessness among veterans during the past 15 years,  too many former service members remain unsheltered.

With the goal of moving 20,000 more unsheltered veterans into permanent housing, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched Getting Veterans Off the Street. This initiative mandated that every VA healthcare system host a dedicated outreach surge event.

Why Now and How?

The 2024 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress indicated a 55.6 percent reduction in homeless veterans, dropping from 74,087 in 2010 to 32,882 in 2024. However, since 2016, sheltered homelessness among veterans (i.e., those living in emergency shelters and other temporary settings) decreased by only 28 percent, and the number of unsheltered veterans fluctuated with an overall 6 percent increase.

Unsheltered homelessness refers to sleeping on the streets, in parks, under bridges or in other outdoor public spaces, or in locations not equipped for habitation, such as vehicles, tents or abandoned buildings. Living in such conditions leads to more significant health issues and greater difficulties in accessing health care and essential medical supplies, including health records, documents and medications. More importantly, unsheltered homelessness often includes a lack of basic hygiene resources and a higher risk of contracting infectious diseases.

Getting Veterans Off the Street takes a focused, concentrated approach to these problems. Over a one- to three-day period, coordinated community outreach teams seek out the homeless veterans in encampments, on the streets, in the woods or under bridges. In real-time, team members engage with unsheltered veterans and offer them immediate enrollment in housing programs, healthcare and behavioral health services and VA benefits.

What Can AUSN Members Do?

AUSN members can help reduce veteran homelessness by spreading the word in three simple ways:

• Connect Homeless Veterans to the VA

Help veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness connect to the VA through the Veterans in need, their family members, friends and supporters can call 877-424-3838 or chat online at va.gov/homeless. Trained counselors are available to talk confidentially 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• Rent to Homeless Veterans

Ask landlords to rent to unhoused veterans. This is a great way to give back to those who have served and provides the benefit of knowing there is a reliable income source, along with support from the VA. More information can be found under VA Homeless Programs – How Landlords Can Help End Veteran Homelessness.

• Hire Homeless Veterans

Encourage business owners to hire a veteran at-risk or with a history of homelessness. Steady employment provides financial stability and helps prevent substance use. Jobs can help veterans find a renewed sense of purpose, critical to preventing suicide. Those interested in providing employment opportunities or services to veterans can learn more through a local Community Employment Coordinator, listed by state on the VA Homeless Programs website.