VA says it exceeded goal for housing homeless veterans last year
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Thursday that it surpassed its 2022 goals for housing veterans experiencing homelessness.
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Thursday that it surpassed its 2022 goals for housing veterans experiencing homelessness.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough set a goal of housing 38,000 veterans by the end of last year. The agency said 40,401 veterans were permanently housed, exceeding the goal by 6.3%.
McDonough said ending veteran homelessness was a top priority. “We at VA will not rest until the phrase ‘homeless Veteran’ is a thing of the past,” he said in a news release.
The number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S. has decreased by 11% since January 2020 and by more than 55% since 2010, according to the VA.
In a call with reporters, Monica Diaz, the executive director of the Veterans Health Administration Homeless Programs Office, attributed the agency’s success to efficient use of subsidies and what she called an evidence-based, housing-first approach to ending homelessness. The method prioritizes getting veterans into housing, then providing support services, including health care and job training, as well as any needed mental health or substance dependency interventions to help veterans stay in housing.
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