VA Homeless Programs
Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office
January 2023
Fred Rogers—best known from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood—once said, “It's easy to say, 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”
When it comes to Veteran homelessness, too many say, “It’s not my problem.”
But not at VA. VA homeless programs staff and our partners see the need and respond. And for this, I consider them my heroes.
Around this time last year, VA Secretary Denis McDonough shared his vision to create a national challenge that would re-invigorate VA’s efforts toward ending Veteran homelessness with me. We agreed that focusing on permanent housing placements would yield impactful results immediately and prevent returns to homelessness for years to come.
Setting a goal to increase the number of national permanent housing placements by 5% felt ambitious—especially considering the continued unpredictability of the pandemic and the historic shortage of affordable housing across the country.
Still, Secretary McDonough and I agreed that with careful strategic planning, close collaboration—and most importantly—the dedication of VA employees, our partners, and the Veterans we serve—placing 38,000 Veterans into permanent housing by the end of 2022 was not impossible. It was what our Veterans deserved.
When Secretary McDonough announced the challenge last February, VA staff and partners got to work.
Day after day, month after month, they put in the time, took on more responsibilities, contacted more landlords and community organizations, and conferenced with colleagues across the country to brainstorm new ideas.
Because they believed in our Veterans, our Veterans began to believe in themselves. And as a result, 40,401 Veterans were permanently housed during the challenge.
I encourage everyone to amplify the success of this challenge this month—because every American needs to hear about this monumental achievement.
Veterans experiencing homelessness, but who may be hesitant to accept help, will be reminded that if VA could help 40,401 Veterans find permanent housing, VA can help them, too.
Active-duty service members and those contemplating joining the military will be reassured that the promises and sacrifices they make for their country will never be forgotten.
All Americans who hear of this success will feel something that has been scarce in the past few years: hope. The results of this challenge will prove to them that saying, “It’s not my problem,” may be the easy answer, but it is not the right answer.
The more we share the news of this challenge, the more conversations we can start and actions we can inspire. Maybe a Veteran will pick up the phone and finally call VA. Or a young social work student will decide that VA is the place where they can make a difference.
In the year ahead, we will build on our momentum to go “All In” with our partners at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and work to reduce overall homelessness in America by 25% by 2025.
I encourage everyone to review the new Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, a multi-year, interagency roadmap for a future where no one experiences the tragedy and indignity of homelessness—and everyone has a safe, stable, accessible, and affordable home.
As the first year of this new strategic plan commences, I am confident that our nation is entering a new chapter in the way we approach homelessness. I am eager to continue using the tools that demonstrated so much success in 2022, implement the new strategies outlined by USICH, and above all else, to make 2023 the year even more Veterans can say, “I finally have a place to call home.”
