The Biden-Harris Administration’s Strategies to End Veteran Homelessness
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a fact sheet on Veteran's Day that outlines the Biden-Harris administration's strategies to end Veteran homelessness.
In April, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge and VA Secretary Denis McDonough, the respective chair and vice chair of USICH, instructed their staffs in coordination with USICH to develop a set of strategies and targets to accelerate progress on ending Veteran homelessness.
The strategies represent a whole-of-government, multi-year, comprehensive approach to ending Veteran homelessness. Some of the strategies include:
- Make Ending Veteran Homelessness a Top Priority
- Lead With an Evidence-Based Housing First Approach
- Reach Underserved Veterans
- Increase the Supply of and Access to Affordable Housing
- Ensure the Delivery of Quality Supportive Services
- Prevent Homelessness Among Veterans
Since 2010, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S. has been cut almost in half, from 74,087 in 2010 to 37,252 in 2020. Several factors played a role in this progress: investments in Veteran-specific programs, a Housing First approach, and strong leadership. Despite the overall decrease in Veteran homelessness, data shows that progress has stalled since 2016. In addition, 50% of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the U.S. are located in regions covered by only 9% of Continuums of Care. These high-prevalence communities include large cities, rural areas, and suburbs, which emphasizes the need for targeted approaches in certain parts of the country.