38K Permanent Housing Placement National Challenge

VA remains committed to ending Veteran homelessness. Between 2010-2020, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States was cut roughly in half. Despite this, data show that since 2016, progress towards ending Veteran homelessness stalled.

To support, revitalize, and streamline VA’s investment in and commitment to end Veteran homelessness and ensure at-risk Veterans are safeguarded from this crisis, VA established a nationwide goal to house 38,000 homeless Veterans during calendar year 2022.

End-of-year results

During 2022, the Department of Veterans Affairs permanently housed 40,401 homeless Veterans, providing them with the safe, stable homes that they deserve. This exceeded the department’s goal to house 38,000 Veterans in 2022 by 6.3%.

Achieving the goal

To effectively achieve this goal while reducing the risk of unintended negative impacts to Veterans served or to local homeless services systems, the following guiding principles were incorporated:

1. House literally homeless Veterans identified through coordinated entry processes, local by-name lists (BNL), and VA and community-partner outreach services.
2. Honor Veteran choice, including needs and preferences for care when determining appropriate services and housing placements. Center Veterans’ lived experience in the effort.
3. Provide supportive services to Veterans with complex needs and/or histories of chronic homelessness through a trauma-informed, Veteran centered approach based in cultural humility.
4. Enhance coordination among VA homeless programs and community partners, Continuum of Care (CoC) partners, public housing authorities (PHA), advocacy groups for and made up of Veterans with lived experience, landlords, city and county officials, and other service providers.

VA hosted a bi-weekly Office Hours Call Series to support communities in achieving this goal. Recordings of these calls will be posted here. Check back often for more updates and information.

Call recordings

• Kickoff Call Recording – Permanent Housing Placement National Challenge to House 38,000 Veterans – March 31, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Defining and Tracking Permanent Housing Placements and the Essential Elements to Accelerate Housing Placements – April 8, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Creating Landlord Incentives – April 22, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Collaboration Between VA Programs to Accelerate Housing Placements – May 13, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Expediting HUD-VASH Placements to Meet or Exceed the 38,000 Goal – June 24, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Expanded Permanent Housing Placement Reporting and Data Quality – July 22, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Mid-Year Review and Community Bright Spots – August 12, 2022. 
• Office Hours Call Recording – HUD-VASH/SSVF Collaboration – August 26, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Engaging Unsheltered Veterans – September 9, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – HUD-VASH GPD Collaborative Case Management – September 23, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Working with Veterans in Encampments – October 28, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Engaging and Empowering People with Lived Experience – November 10, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Closing Arguments – December 9, 2022.
• Office Hours Call Recording – Communicating and Celebrating Your Achievements – January 13, 2023.
• Office Hours Call Recording – End-of-Year Celebration – January 27, 2023.