VA Homeless Programs
Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office
January 2024
No one’s journey into homelessness is the same—and neither is their climb out.
At VA, we honor each Veteran’s individual path from homelessness to housed through our unique Housing First approach. We believe those who so bravely served our country deserve a safe place to call home and the power to make it there on their own terms.
Our approach is so successful that over the last 13 years, we’ve reduced Veteran homelessness by 52%, and three states and 83 communities have effectively brought Veteran homelessness to an end.
Throughout 2024, we’ll be reflecting on how using a Housing First approach has helped us achieve these outcomes, bringing you stories from VA employees on the frontlines of the fight to end Veteran homelessness. Subscribe to our newsletter or visit our Staff Spotlight page to read the latest.
First things first
The Housing First model came to the forefront in the 1990s, and it works just like it sounds.
It doesn’t require a person to meet certain criteria to obtain housing, which is a fundamental right and a basic need, just like air and water. It gives them immediate access to permanent, subsidized, independent housing without treatment or sobriety requirements.
Meeting these criteria can be impossible for those battling severe mental health or substance abuse issues. Even for those who are not, other concerns take a backseat when confronted with a daily struggle of where to sleep and what to eat.
When you remove these hurdles, housing success soars.
Without the shift to a Housing First approach, we probably never would have seen the drastic decrease in Veteran homelessness that I mentioned above.
Honoring the journey
What we add to the Housing First model are wraparound services to address secondary issues after housing has been secured, as well as a commitment to honoring Veteran choice.
Providing access to services and embracing a recovery-oriented philosophy is one of the most challenging components, but at VA, we succeed because serving Veterans is baked into our DNA.
Still, it’s been a culture shift and an education campaign both in and outside VA over the last decade or so, which is why we’re using this year to call attention to our philosophy and our success stories.
We don’t put Veterans into housing and call the job done. We make sure they have the support they need to stay in their housing and thrive in their post-military life.
We call on everyone from across all our homelessness support programs and services to work together as One Team to find unique solutions for each Veteran who crosses our path. One of our priorities for 2024 is to further streamline that process so that we can respond even faster and in an even more Veteran-centric way.
One of the things that I’m most proud of is the commitment to Veteran choice and dignity that the Housing First approach brings. They deserve to have a voice and a sense of ownership over their own narrative.
Our goal is to end Veteran homelessness, and permanent housing is the first step towards that path. We also recognize that each Veteran’s journey looks different and they are the ultimate decision maker of what path best meet their medical, mental, social, and economic needs.
It’s a personal journey, but one they don’t have to take alone. Yes, we’re here to give them housing and to give them housing first—but we’ll keep walking with them along their path as long as they need us.
