VA Homeless Programs

Make the Pledge to House Homeless Veterans

No Veteran should be homeless in the country they fought to defend. US Department of Veterans Affairs invites Mayors to Make a Pledge to House Homeless Veterans.

Three easy steps:

1. Demonstrate your community’s commitment by Making the Pledge
2. Ask landlords to prioritize housing for Veterans by pledging their affordable rental units.
3. Celebrate your community’s commitment

To learn more, contact Anthony.Love@va.gov.

If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, we strongly encourage you to call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) or chat online with a responder for assistance. Note: This phone number is an emergency hotline for homeless Veterans and cannot provide additional information about becoming a VA landlord. Please use the linked form below.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Pledge

What is the Mayors’ Pledge?

• No Veteran should be homeless in the country they fought to defend. The Mayors’ Pledge is an opportunity for Mayors and elected leaders of local communities to help Veterans access affordable housing by encouraging landlords to pledge prioritized units to house Veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. It’s that simple – a challenge to use leadership in local communities to devote existing rental units to Veterans who have served our country.

Why is it needed?

• At VA, we know we have the right tools to help Veteran homelessness. We have a wide range of programs that assist Veterans with securing permanent housing and wrapping comprehensive support around them. But the success of our tools is entirely dependent on a critical resource that landlords provide – affordable rental units. Mayors can use their leadership and vision for solving Veteran homelessness in their communities to partner with landlords or property managers who will commit rental units that Veterans can call home.

Why now?

• Homelessness remains an urgent issue – any night spent outdoors impacts people’s health, mental health, and safety. Creating opportunities for Veterans to have a home is an impactful way to address this issue.
• There are new opportunities to house more Veterans based on HUD policy changes: Biden-Harris Administration Expands Access to Housing for Veterans | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

What are the specific goals of the Mayors’ Pledge?

• The Mayors’ Pledge encourages Mayors to engage landlords with existing units to pledge units to house Veterans. There is no minimum and no maximum pledge requirement. If you serve a smaller community, one landlord with one vacant unit will make a difference for a Veteran and their family experiencing homelessness in your city. If you serve a large community, aim high! Encourage as many landlords as possible through apartment associations and other community business networks to pledge multiple units to house Veterans.

Will the Mayor’s Pledge create more requirements or costs for communities?

• No. The Mayors Pledge does not require Mayors to submit a proposal or undergo a new strategic planning process to address homelessness. This pledge leverages all of the work Mayors have already led and are currently involved in and takes the final step towards permanently housing Veterans by asking landlords to pledge available housing units to homeless Veterans.

How can we engage landlords?

• VA and our federal partners have experience in effectively engaging landlords. Read our white paper on effective landlord engagement strategies developed in Chicago, IL.

What is the fine print?

• The mission of the Veteran Health Administration (VHA)’s Homeless Programs Office is to assist Veterans and their families in obtaining permanent and sustainable housing with access to high-quality health care and supportive services, and to ensure that Veteran homelessness is prevented or otherwise rare, brief, and nonrecurring. The vision of VHA’s Homeless Program Office is to end homelessness for all Veterans and their families using evidence-based, innovative practices and partnerships to provide access to permanent housing and deliver services that are Veteran-centered, equitable, and inclusive, leading to personal empowerment and increased independence. To accomplish this mission and vision VHA’s Homeless Programs Office follows the evidence-based practice of Housing First, a strategy that assists a Veteran in securing housing, and wrapping all needed supportive services around that Veteran to assist in their success. While VHA can provide wrap around supports through direct services at VA medical centers, grants with non-profit organizations, and contracts to support emergency housing, a critical component that requires community partnership is the accessibility and availability of affordable housing stock.
• The Mayors Pledge is a voluntary, collaborative working relationship between VA and the Mayor making the pledge. The pledge does not imply that VA and City are jointly liable for either Party’s obligations. Neither Party is responsible for debts, contractual obligations, or conduct, tortious or otherwise of the other Party. The pledge shall not be construed to create a joint venture, agency, employment, or any other relationship between VA and the Mayors. The pledge does not create a binding contractual obligation, obligate either Party to expend appropriations or other monies or enter any contract or other obligation, or create any rights between the Parties. Should any exchange of funds or resources be necessary, the parties will first enter a supplemental binding instrument.
• Each Party shall bear its own costs, risks, and liabilities incurred by it arising out of its obligations and efforts related to the pledge. One party cannot commit the other to any cost, expense, or obligation.
• The pledge does not guarantee that a Veteran will occupy a housing unit pledged or prioritized as a result of this partnership. The pledge shall not be construed to create any obligation, contractual or otherwise, between the Department and any landlord who makes available affordable quality housing in furtherance of the pledge.

What if I want to develop new affordable housing?

• There are many resources that can assist you with developing new affordable housing units.
• Check out the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Affordable Housing How-To Guide. It explains how to use state and local fiscal recovery funds to produce and build affordable housing.
• If you are a Mayor in the State of California:
• Learn how the Proposition 1 Behavioral Health Services Act can be used to help fund new housing development. Learn how funds made available through the Homekey+ component of the Behavioral Health Services Act can also help fund construction of new housing specifically for Veterans.

Ready to Take the Pledge?

Please use the linked form below.

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