By Becky Kanis
On Tuesday August 26, 2014, The US Department of Housing and Urban Development along with the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness announced that homelessness among veterans had dropped below 50,000 to 49,933 nationwide-- continuing a 30% decrease since 2010. The highest reductions-- almost 40 percent-- came among those sleeping on the streets as opposed to in shelters. This encouraging news reflects the first time the data has fallen below 50,000 since we began measuring as a country. Becky Kanis, the Director of the 100,000 Homes Campaign for Community Solutions, issued the following statement:
“Ending veteran homelessness is a huge moral test for our country. As a veteran, the issue is personal to me. I imagine my friends out there. Or myself. Even one homeless veteran is too many, but today’s continued decrease is really good news. The efforts communities are making to find and house their homeless veterans are working. They’re focusing on taking the actions that have been proven to work, and as a result, they’re housing more veterans more quickly and helping them stay housed permanently. The research is clear: the solution to veteran homelessness is permanent housing with basic supportive services as needed.
“The HUD-VASH program has been the single biggest game changer I’ve seen in my career. Communities are using it to get people off the streets quickly and keep them from returning to homelessness. It also saves taxpayers a lot of money. At Community Solutions, we’ve worked hard to help communities target that resource to the chronically homeless veterans it was designed for, and to coordinate various agencies on the ground so the housing gets to those veterans as quickly as possible. It’s especially heartening that today’s numbers show the steepest decline in homelessness among veterans who are actually sleeping outside. The SSVF program has also made an enormous difference, especially for veterans who need less intensive-- but no less immediate-- help.
“HUD, VA and the Interagency Council on Homelessness have shown a lot of leadership here by working to keep these programs funded and to make them as user friendly as possible for the communities tasked with implementing them. The First Lady is also providing important leadership, especially by rallying Mayors to the cause.
“What works to end veteran homelessness will work to end all homelessness. Permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing are proven strategies, and they actually save taxpayers money! The President has a budget request before Congress right now for about $300 million that would create enough new supportive housing to end chronic homelessness in America. In the scope of the federal budget, it’s not a lot of money. Congress has a huge chance to be a hero here.”
The 100,000 Homes Campaign, coordinated by Community Solutions, was a national movement of 186 communities working together to permanently house 100,000 chronic and vulnerable homeless Americans between July 2010 and July of 2014. Communities completed the Campaign last month having housed more than 105,000 people, including more than 31,000 veterans. On average, these communities tripled the pace of housing over the course of the Campaign. Learn more at 100khomes.org and cmtysolutions.org.
Becky Kanis is the Director of the 100,000 Homes Campaign for Community Solutions, which announced in June that it had helped US communities permanently house more than 100,000 chronically homeless Americans, including +31,000 veterans, in under four years. She is a graduate of West Point and a former Captain in the U.S. Army. She is available for comment throughout the day.