During 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs has been successful in housing more than 38,000 homeless veterans. This significant achievement is part of President Biden's broader Utility Agenda that emphasizes veteran support.
In a press release issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), it was confirmed that nearly 39,000 homeless veterans have acquired permanent housing through the department's initiatives. The department had initially set an annual target to house 38,000 veterans and managed to exceed this number two months ahead of schedule. Engaging with approximately 34,500 unsheltered veterans, the VA has facilitated their access to essential resources for securing adequate housing and other forms of support. The department also surpassed their yearly engagement goal by a remarkable 123%, ensuring that over 96% of housed Veterans remained in their new homes. Ending veteran homelessness and providing plentiful resources for those who need them is integral to the VA's mission, which has been further bolstered by President Biden making veteran support a cornerstone of his Utility Agenda set during his inaugural State of the Union address.
The Utility Agenda set forth by President Biden is constructed around four key pillars designed for bipartisan cooperation to benefit the United States. As previously mentioned, one vital pillar involves supporting veterans and includes objectives such as aiding veterans and their families, reducing veteran suicide rates, enhancing access to support services and ensuring affordable housing for low-income veterans. Disturbingly, according to a White House press release, suicide among veterans since 2010 has led to over 71,000 deaths - exceeding total fatalities from the Vietnam War and military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. To combat this grim reality, the VA initiated a $10 million program to provide states with resources for augmenting their veteran support infrastructure.
According to a VA press release, the department adopted the "Housing First" approach to address veteran homelessness. This strategy prioritizes securing housing for veterans as an initial step before arranging for additional support and care to ensure they maintain their new homes. This additional assistance encompasses access to adequate healthcare, legal and educational aid, along with job searching and interview coaching.
"More than 38,000 veterans now have the safe, stable homes that they deserve — and there’s nothing more important than that," affirmed VA Secretary Denis McDonough. "While we met our goals for 2023, we’re not stopping here. We’re going to keep pushing — through the end of this calendar year and beyond — until every Veteran has a safe, stable place to call home in this country they fought to defend."
