{"id":488,"date":"2026-01-12T21:02:42","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T21:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/?page_id=488"},"modified":"2026-03-20T13:32:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:32:39","slug":"effectively-ended","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/effectively-ended\/","title":{"rendered":"Achieving an Effective End to Veteran Homelessness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/span>
\n

Achieving an Effective End to Veteran Homelessness<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

A community-by-community tally<\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n

VA is committed to ending Veteran homelessness, community by community. Our work in collaboration with large and small localities proves that\u2014through their leadership, cooperation and evidence-based practices\u2014it\u2019s possible to ensure that every Veteran has a home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 States and 85 Communities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"map<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The following jurisdictions have announced an end to Veteran homelessness as of October 2024. In total, 3 states and 85 communities have announced an end to Veteran homelessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Alabama<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mobile<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arkansas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Little Rock<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Riverside<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecticut<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Delaware<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Florida<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Flagler County Fort<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miami-Dade County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myers\/Lee<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PuntaGorda\/Charlotte County Volusia County\/Daytona Beach<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Georgia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Atlanta<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DeKalb County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illinois<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Central Illinois CoC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coles County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Douglas County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edgar County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moultrie County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quad Cities Bi-State Region IL<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rockford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelby County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waukegan, North Chicago\/Lake County, IL, Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indiana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iowa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Des Moines<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quad Cities Bi-State Region<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kansas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kansas City region<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kentucky<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lexington<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lousiana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

New Orleans<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shreveport<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terrebonne Paris<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maryland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Montgomery County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Massachusetts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lowell<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Massachusetts Balance of State CoC (MA-516)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Michigan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kent County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lansing, East Lansing, Ingham County, MI, CoC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wexford, Missaukee, and Manistee Counties, MI<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minnesota<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Central Minnesota Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dakota, Anoka, Washington, Scott, Carver Counties, MN, Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hennepin County CoC
Moorhead\/West Central Minnesota CoC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Northeast Minnesota CoC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Northwest Minnesota CoC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rochester\/Southeast Minnesota Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southwest Minnesota CoC (MN-511)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mississippi<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gulfport\/Gulf Coast Regional Continuum of Care (Biloxi\/Gulfport)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hattiesburg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mississippi Balance of State Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Missouri<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kansas City region<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poplar Bluff<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saint Joseph\/Andrew, Buchanan, DeKalb Counties, MO, CoC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lincoln<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nebraska Balance of State CoC (NE-500)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevada<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Las Vegas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Hampshire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nashua<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Jersey<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bergen County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middlesex County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Mexico<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Las Cruces<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa Fe<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New York<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Albany<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buffalo\/Western New York<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long Island<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poughkeepsie\/Dutchess County CoC (NY-601)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rochester<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saratoga Springs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Schenectady<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syracuse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Troy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

North Carolina<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cumberland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

County\/Fayetteville<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winston-Salem<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ohio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dayton\/Montgomery County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akron\/Barberton\/Summit County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oklahoma<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Norman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oregon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gresham<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multnomah County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portland<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pennsylvania<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Delaware County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lancaster City and County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lehigh Valley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philadelphia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pittsburgh<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading\/Berks County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scranton\/Lackawanna County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Western Pennsylvania Continuum of Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tennessee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chattanooga<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackson\/West Tennessee CoC (TN-507)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Texas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Abilene\/West Texas CoC (TX-605)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Austin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dallas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Houston<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Antonio<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vermont<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chittenden County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virginia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Washington<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kittitas County<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Virginia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beckley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wisconsin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

La Crosse<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
\n\n
\n

Here’s what national, state and local leaders are saying about these successes<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
IN<\/td>Mayor Tyler Moore<\/a><\/strong>, March 12, 2021
\u201cThe City of Kokomo could not be more proud of the efforts of so many agencies working together to achieve this incredible status and recognition. Our local Veterans deserve as much as we can give them, and so knowing that Kokomo and Howard County have succeeded in providing the most basic necessity that many of our homeless Veterans need is very exciting.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MN<\/td>Governor Tim Walz<\/a><\/strong>, November 11, 2020
\u201cMinnesota veterans have served and sacrificed to protect the freedoms we all enjoy. Once they complete their service, we should ensure they have a safe place to call home.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MN<\/td>Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Herke<\/a><\/strong>, November 11, 2020
\u201cToday\u2019s announcement demonstrates that ending veteran homelessness is achievable when there is a plan and strong partnerships\u2026together we can change lives and bring our veterans \u2018all the way home.\u2019\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
VT<\/td>Mayor Miro Weinberger<\/a><\/strong>, November 10, 2020
\u201cWe are helping to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have served in the military.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
IA\/IL<\/td>Mayor Mike Matson<\/a><\/strong>, November 10, 2020
\u201cAn end to homelessness (among veterans) will not mean no one will ever experience a housing crisis again\u2026.An end to homelessness means that every community will have a systematic response in place that ensures that homelessness is prevented whenever possible, or is otherwise a rare, brief and non-reoccurring occurrence. And that’s what we have here.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Gov. Tom Wolf<\/a><\/strong>, September 13, 2019
\u201cIt has been my goal since I took office to reduce Veteran homelessness and we have made progress. It is my hope that the example set by the Western PA CoC becomes a model and inspiration for the rest of the state so we can end Veteran homelessness Commonwealth-wide.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MN<\/td>Gov. Tim Walz<\/a><\/strong>, July 18, 2019
\u201cThe circumstances that lead to people being homeless are a multitude of things. The collaboration and the thoughtfulness of moving people into permanent housing is something this community and the organizations represented here have chosen to do, and the state of Minnesota has chosen to do.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
TX<\/td>Mayor Anthony Williams<\/a><\/strong>, July 18, 2019
\u201cCan this community really end Veterans who are neighbors who don’t have homes, and we answered that with a yes.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
IL<\/td>Illinois Rep. Brad Schneider<\/a><\/strong>, July 2, 2019
\u201cAll those Veterans who serve need to know we have their backs when they come home, and we are demonstrating that today.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MS<\/td>Mississippi Balance of State Continuum of Care Director Hannah Maharrey<\/a><\/strong>, June 19, 2019
\u201cWe have a system in place to address Veteran homelessness… we want to make sure Veteran homelessness is brief and non-recurring.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MI<\/td>Mayor Andy Schor<\/a><\/strong>, May 8, 2019
\u201cWe owe it to our veterans to help them find a place to call home.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MI<\/td>Dr. Joan Jackson Johnson, City of Lansing Human Relations & Community Services Director<\/a><\/strong>, May 8, 2019
\u201cWe know there are still homeless veterans in our area, but we now have the systems in place to quickly identify and house them, and to ensure their homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
KY<\/td>Lexington, KY Mayor Linda Gorton<\/a><\/strong>, Apr. 25, 2019
\u201cToday\u2019s announcement means we are ready to help any homeless or at-risk Veteran known to us. Congratulations to the social workers, outreach workers and homeless system leaders who work day and night to find and nurture relationships, and to remove barriers that previously kept Veterans from permanent places to call home.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
GA<\/td>Mayor Bill McMurray<\/a><\/strong>, Apr. 8, 2019
\u201cThis [achievement] is a product of all of these organizations working together.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
AR<\/td>Little Rock, AR Mayor Mark Stodola<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 14, 2018
\u201cWe\u2019ve re-tooled programs and systems to be more coordinated and overall more effective at finding our most vulnerable Veterans, triaging their needs, and then navigating them to the most appropriate housing resources and supportive services.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NE<\/td>Mayor Chris Beutler<\/a><\/strong>, Oct. 5, 2018
\u201cThis is a very proud milestone for our entire community.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
FL<\/td>Miami-Dade County Mayor, Carlos A. Gimenez<\/a><\/strong>, Aug. 2, 2018
\u201cToday, we say with certainty that Miami-Dade is treating its Veterans with the respect they deserve.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
OK<\/td>Norman, OK Mayor Lynne Miller<\/a><\/strong>, Feb. 27, 2018
\u201cIt is because of this relentless community-wide effort that we have reached such a significant and immeasurably impactful goal.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
WV<\/td>Beckley, WV Mayor Rob Rappold<\/a><\/strong>, Feb. 8, 2018
\u201cIt\u2019s certainly an accomplishment that we don\u2019t take lightly. It\u2019s something that certainly puts our local VA and its great staff on the map nationally. It also is a real compliment to the City of Beckley.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Pittsburgh, PA Mayor Bill Peduto<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 21, 2017
\u201cFive hundred eighty-seven individuals and their families are in a much better position because of the work that was done between federal, state, county and city government together with those that were on the ground carrying out the mission.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
KS<\/td>Kansas City, KS Mayor Mark Holland<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 20, 2017
\u201cOne of the things we recently did was we took the opportunity to combine the Coordinated Council for Homelessness so there could be one single voice. We need to do a better job of tracking and caring for people and not caring what side of the state line they are on.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
GA<\/td>Atlanta, GA Mayor Kasim Reed<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 6, 2017
\u201cI want to express my sincere thanks to all of our partners and the providers who made this possible. It means so much to me to know that we have been able to help the women and men who risked it all in service to their country.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MI<\/td>Kent County Board Commissioner Tom Antor<\/a><\/strong>, Sept. 26, 2017
\u201cThe County staff has shown a great dedication to helping Veterans and ending homelessness. More than 170 Veterans Affairs Housing Vouchers have been provided in Kent County in recent years. I\u2019m proud of the work they\u2019ve done to help reach Functional Zero.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MN<\/td>Northwest & West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care Coordinator Carla Solem<\/strong>, Aug. 24, 2017
\u201cThe plans ensure that when homelessness does occur, it is rare, brief, and non-recurring,\u201d said Carla Solem, Continuum of Care Coordinator. \u201c[I]t is evidence that the CoCs have plans in place to assure Veteran[s] is sheltered immediately, housed rapidly and supported in a manner that reduces the likelihood that he or she will ever become homeless again.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MA<\/td>Lowell, MA Mayor Edward Kennedy<\/a><\/strong>, Aug. 23, 2017
\u201cLowell has identified every homeless Veteran by name and has a support system in place to ensure, whenever possible, that no Veterans are sleeping on the streets … Every Veteran has access to permanent housing, and the community has a capacity to ensure that Veteran homelessness when it occurs is rare, brief and nonrecurring.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
IL<\/td>Will County Executive Larry Walsh<\/a><\/strong>, July 12, 2017
\u201cOur veterans have made significant sacrifices to insure our country’s freedom. Helping them find a permanent home is the least we can do to honor their service.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Allentown, PA Mayor Ed Pawlowski<\/a><\/strong>, July 10, 2017
\u201c[T]he idea that anyone who has worn our country\u2019s uniform spends their nights sleeping on the ground should horrify us. Our veterans fought for our freedom and they deserve our help when they need it most.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
OH<\/td>Akron, OH Mayor Daniel Horrigan<\/a><\/strong>, May 26, 2017
\u201cThis designation is a significant achievement for the city of Akron and the Continuum of Care, and a milestone in our fight to end Veterans\u2019 homelessness in this community.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
FL<\/td>Charlotte County Homeless Coalition’s CEO, Angela Hogan<\/a><\/strong>, Mar. 30, 2017
\u201cWe have made homelessness in our community rare, brief and non-reoccurring.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NH<\/td>Nashua, NH Mayor Jim Donchess<\/a><\/strong>, Mar. 24, 2017
\u201cThe Nashua community takes care of our people, and the elimination of Veteran homelessness is an example of that caretaking.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MN<\/td>Minnesota State Director to Prevent and End Homelessness, Cathy ten Broeke<\/a><\/strong>, Mar. 23, 2017
\u201c[W]hat has been so powerful about the work of ending Veteran homelessness, and the reason we’re actually seeing the end of it here in Minnesota and other places around the country, is that they set this goal at the federal level, and it was a bipartisan goal.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
TN<\/td>Chattanooga, TN Mayor Andy Berke<\/a><\/strong>, Feb. 9, 2017
\u201cVeterans who have served our country should not … be forced to sleep in parking garages, shelters, cars, or on street corners\u2014unfortunately, that is a reality in too many cities across the country. But over the last two years, Chattanoogans have banded together to say \u2018Not in our city\u2019.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
LA<\/td>Shreveport, LA Mayor Ollie Tyler<\/a><\/strong>, Jan. 5, 2017
\u201cIt is my prayer that all that we accomplish in working to eradicate homelessness for Veterans, would be transformational in their lives and allow them to transition into society as productive citizens who enjoy a good quality of life.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
WI<\/td>La Crosse, WI Mayor Tim Kabat<\/a><\/strong>, Dec 19, 2016
\u201cLa Crosse signed on to the national effort, as part of the Mayor\u2019s Challenge, to work together and provide permanent housing for our homeless Veterans and it is awe-inspiring to see this dream realized. We are so fortunate to live in such a caring, compassionate, and hard-working community.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
OR<\/td>Hales, Multnomah County Chair, Deborah Kafoury<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 10, 2016
\u201cThis is what it looks like when a community comes together to get things done. We can change lives.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
OR<\/td>Portland, OR Mayor Charlie Hales<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 10, 2016
\u201cI\u2019m proud today, that Portland is the first West Coast city to receive official designation in meeting the … Mayors Challenge to End Veterans Homelessness. This would not have been possible without our government, nonprofit, faith and private sector partners\u2019 complete dedication to this work. With continued commitment, I know our community can reach our goal to provide permanent, affordable housing to every Portlander who needs it.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
GA<\/td>DeKalb County iCEO, Lee May<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 9, 2016
\u201cIf you are a veteran in DeKalb County and need a place to live, we will help you.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
OH<\/td>Dayton, OH Mayor Nan Whaley<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 28, 2016
\u201cTogether, the City of Dayton, Montgomery County, and our community partners have worked to ensure that every veteran has access to permanent housing. Targeted collaboration among our partners has streamlined a community process that ensures that any veteran in the Dayton community, who needs assistance, receives a rapid connection to housing resources.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
DE<\/td>Governor\u2019s Weekly Message: Ending Veteran Homelessness in Delaware<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 16, 2016
\u201cEven one homeless veteran is one too many. That\u2019s why this week I was thrilled to announce that \u2013 after more than a year\u2019s work with our local, state and federal partners \u2013 we have effectively ended veteran homelessness in our state. Thank you to everyone who has made it possible to get our veterans the help they need and deserve. Showing them the same level of commitment they made to our country will help keep Delaware moving forward.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NJ<\/td>Middlesex County, NJ Middlesex County Freeholder Director, Ronald G. Rios<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 4, 2016
\u201cThis is the story of many hands and heads working together to achieve a common goal. I thank and commend our County staff and our community partners for sharing my passion and my vision for ending Veterans Homelessness. We did it. And we did it together.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
FL<\/td>Volusia County\/Daytona Beach, FL Executive Director of the Office on Homelessness with Florida Department of Children and Families, Erik Braun<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 4, 2016
\u201cAll cities in Volusia County need to come together and collaborate with the county\u2026If you rapidly house people\u2026we see stability over the long term. About 85 percent don’t return to homelessness.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Buffalo, NY Mayor Byron Brown<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 4, 2016
\u201cWe accepted that challenge, we delivered, and I can announce proudly today that we have essentially ended veteran homelessness in our community.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MA<\/td>Adviser to the Mayor for the Initiative to End Chronic Homelessness, Laila Bernstein<\/a><\/strong>, Oct. 5, 2016
\u201cIn most cases, folks who’ve been homeless make tremendous tenants. They’re very grateful for the housing and they take care of their apartments very well.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
FL<\/td>Orlando, FL Mayor Buddy Dyer<\/a><\/strong>, Sept. 23, 2016
\u201cIt\u2019s important that we reflect on victories when we have them and our victory on effectively reaching the end of chronic Veteran homelessness … is a cause for celebration.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
TX<\/td>Austin (Texas) Mayor Steve Adler<\/a><\/strong>, Aug. 19, 2016
\u201cWe got to this community win today in a classic Austin way. We were innovative, creative and determined. There was great work already being done when this initiative started, but these efforts weren\u2019t quite getting the job done all the way. We needed a new way, new partners, and a wider and renewed commitment.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NJ<\/td>Bergen County Executive, James J. Tedesco III<\/a><\/strong>, Aug. 4, 2016
\u201cThe men and women who have so bravely served our country deserve more than just our deepest gratitude. They deserve to live securely and prosperously in our communities. That security starts with a roof over their heads.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Nassau County (Long Island) Executive Edward P. Mangano<\/a><\/strong>, July 15, 2016
\u201cAlong with my partners in government, we have ensured that every homeless Veteran seeking shelter on Long Island has been housed, and that any Veteran or active-duty military personnel who may be in need in the future will receive immediate shelter.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MS<\/td>Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Mayor Johnny DuPree<\/a><\/strong>, June 15, 2016
\u201cOur community is one that stands with one another, especially those who sacrifice their lives for the very freedoms we enjoy today.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
LA<\/td>Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, President Gordon Dove<\/a><\/strong>, June 3, 2016
\u201cThis is an important victory in our ongoing efforts to make our Parish the best place for veterans to live, work and raise a family. However, we must remain committed to keeping homelessness among veterans rare, brief and non-recurring.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Rochester, NY Mayor Lovely Warren<\/a><\/strong>, May 18, 2016
\u201cOur Veterans fought for us, and now it’s time to fight for them.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
TX<\/td>San Antonio Mayor Ivy R. Taylor<\/a><\/strong>, May 13, 2016
\u201cIn January 2015, I pledged my commitment to the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. Together, the City of San Antonio, our business sector led by USAA, and our non-profit partners have achieved the goal of effectively ending veteran homelessness in our community.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MA<\/td>Lynn, MA Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy<\/a><\/strong>, Mar. 17, 2016
\u201cWe embrace our responsibility to provide our Veterans with the services and supports they need, with housing at the top of that list.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
IA<\/td>Supervisor for Central Iowa\u2019s Department of Veteran Affairs, Jennifer Miner<\/a><\/strong>, Mar. 17, 2016
\u201cAny veteran who is experiencing or is at risk of homelessness in Des Moines and Polk County has access to a safety net of resources and services.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Executive director of the Berks Coalition, Sharon Parker<\/a><\/strong>, Feb. 18, 2016
\u201cWe work[ed] really hard to achieve this goal.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NC<\/td>Fayetteville, NC Mayor Nat Robertson<\/a><\/strong>, Jan. 16, 2016
\u201cYou need someplace to brush your teeth and clean your clothes and bathe, so you can look presentable when you\u2019re out interviewing for a job.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
CA<\/td>Riverside, CA Mayor Rusty Bailey<\/a><\/strong>, Jan. 7, 2016
\u201cI am so proud of our City staff and immensely grateful for their efforts in combating homelessness among Veterans in Riverside.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MS<\/td>Biloxi, Mississippi, Mayor Andrew Gilich<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 31, 2015
\u201cThis effort has been a team effort. Biloxi and Gulfport are receiving this designation because of strong partnerships with the Biloxi Veterans Administration, the Biloxi Housing Authority, the Mississippi Housing Authority Region VIII in Gulfport, and community partners that include Oak Arbor, Hancock Resource Center, and Voices of Calvary Ministries who have received federal funds to assist veterans and their families across the Coast.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MS<\/td>Gulfport, Mississippi, Mayor Billy Hewes<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 31, 2015
\u201cAs the lead agency for the Harrison County HOME Consortium, Gulfport has partnered with Biloxi, Back Bay Mission and Gulf Coast Housing Initiative in the construction of eight new apartments designated for our veterans. This benchmark for veterans is crucial, however, we must build on this work to create solutions for the overall problem and causes of homelessness which persists in our communities.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 30, 2015
\u201cThe brave women and men who valiantly protected our nation abroad should never be left without a home. Today, we have ensured that those in the veteran community who have struggled to find and remain in housing time and time again will have a stable place to call home. I\u2019m grateful to the city agencies, federal partners and the City Council, who all worked tirelessly together to make this pledge a reality.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Albany, New York, Mayor Kathy Sheehan<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 22, 2015
\u201cWe are proud of this recognition and the work we have done, yet we know that our efforts to end homelessness among veterans will continue in the days and years ahead. We are resolved to make sure that homelessness among veterans will remain infrequent and short-lived.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
MD<\/td>Montgomery County, Maryland, Councilman George Leventhal<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 18, 2015
\u201cMontgomery County now has a coordinated and efficient system, which has been developed with our community partners to ensure that every veteran in our County has access to the supports needed to move quickly from homelessness to permanent housing. Providing a stable home for our veterans is simply the right thing to do for those who have sacrificed so much for our country.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 17, 2015
\u201cToo often, veterans find themselves struggling with issues like homelessness and poverty and that is a shame. For those who gave so much of themselves to this Nation, there is no reason why they should be left out in the cold. Today, I am happy to report that homelessness among veterans in Philadelphia is now rare, brief and non-recurring. In other words, Philadelphia has effectively ended veteran homelessness for those who want a home.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
IL<\/td>Rockford, IL Mayor Larry Morrissey<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 15, 2015
\u201cEvery Veteran has a name. Every person has a story. When we make their story part of our story and our life and our work, we\u2019re able to get people housed, we\u2019re able to manage that list, we\u2019re able to make the connections to solve that problem.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NV<\/td>Chief of Social Work Service at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System, Josh Brown<\/a><\/strong>, Dec. 8, 2015
\u201cI\u2019m excited that the [mayors] have supported and stood behind this, and as a community, we all can achieve this. Does that mean that we still have some work to do down the road? Absolutely.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NM<\/td>Santa Fe, NM Mayor Javier M. Gonzales<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 12, 2015
\u201cThe problem of Veteran homelessness has been a shadow hanging over our country and our community for far too long. But we can finally say that, working with this coalition, we have built a collaborative system that within 30 days will enable us to house the few remaining homeless Veterans in Santa Fe, and, moving forward, any Veteran who becomes homeless in the future will be housed within 30 days.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
VA<\/td>Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 11, 2015 (Veterans Day)
\u201cOn a day when we remember those who fought and died for our nation, I am proud to proclaim that Virginia is leading the way in the fight to end veteran homelessness. This is an important victory in our ongoing efforts to make our Commonwealth the best place on earth for veterans to live, work and raise a family. However, we must remain committed to keeping homelessness among veterans, and, all Virginians, rare, brief and non-recurring. This successful effort will serve as the launching pad for our next goal of functionally ending chronic homelessness among all Virginians by the end of 2017.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Schenectady, NY Mayor Gary McCarthy<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 11, 2015 (Veterans Day)
\u201cIt\u2019s the nature of it where you have to go through each individual and see what their unique features are and then work through issues like housing, drugs and mental health problems.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Syracuse, NY Mayor Stephanie Miner<\/a><\/strong>, Nov. 11, 2015 (Veterans Day)
\u201cIt means we have a process put in place to identify and find services for Veterans to make sure they are not homeless, or slip into homelessness.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NC<\/td>Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Mayor Allen Joines<\/a><\/strong>, Oct. 27, 2015
\u201cAchieving this milestone is a testimony to the hard work of the people and organizations that have been working tirelessly to house our homeless veterans. Given this success, I have no doubt that we will succeed in meeting our ultimate goal of ending chronic homelessness for all in our community.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Mayor Bill Courtright<\/a><\/strong>, Oct. 2, 2015
\u201cOur men and women in uniform make incalculable sacrifices for our country. It’s up to us to make sure they don’t end up on the streets.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Troy, New York, Mayor Lou Rosamilia<\/a><\/strong>, Sept. 26, 2015
\u201cProviding homeless veterans a path to proper housing opportunities is a fulfillment of a responsibility to those who answered the call to defend our freedoms. I am incredibly proud of the effort undertaken by our city and our community partners in assisting veterans here in the City of Troy and I look forward to our continued efforts to provide these important services to those who served our country.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
PA<\/td>Craig Lehman, Lancaster County Commissioner<\/a><\/strong>, Sept. 2, 2015
\u201cVeterans have served their country, and we have a great responsibility to make sure they and\/ or their families do not fall through the cracks \u2026 The real measure of our success will be continuing to maintain that functional zero.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
CT<\/td>Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy<\/a><\/strong>, Aug. 27, 2015
\u201cWe established this bold goal to end homelessness among our veterans, not because it\u2019s good for our economy and makes communities stronger, but because it\u2019s morally right. Ending chronic veteran homelessness is just another step forward and another marker of progress towards reaching our goal of ending all veteran homelessness by the end of this year.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NY<\/td>Saratoga Springs, NY Mayor Joanne Yepsen<\/a><\/strong>, July 29, 2015
\u201cOur pledge is that if a Veteran presents as homeless, they do not spend a single night on the street.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
NM<\/td>Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima<\/a><\/strong>, July 2015
\u201cEnding veteran homelessness is important for one simple reason: Veterans fought for our freedom and our way of life, and it is now our turn to fight for them.\u201d<\/td><\/tr>
TX<\/td>Houston Mayor Annise Parker<\/strong>, June 1, 2015
\n \u201cHouston is there for our heroes, and just like on the battlefield, we will leave no one behind. From regular provider coordination meetings and aligning local and federal resources, to dedicated street outreach teams and a coordinated assessment system that identifies, assesses, refers and navigates homeless veterans to housing, the Houston region has come together as a team to transform our homeless response system to effectively end veteran homelessness.\u201d\n <\/td><\/tr>
LA<\/td>New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu<\/a><\/strong>, Jan. 7, 2015
\u201cNew Orleans is now the first major city in the nation to answer the call … to end Veteran homelessness\u2014and we did so one year earlier than the federal goal. We owe our Veterans our eternal gratitude for their service and sacrifice to this nation, and making sure they have a place to call home is a small but powerful way we can show our appreciation.\u201d<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
\n\n
\n

Check back often for new announcements on the end to Veteran homelessness, community by community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":211,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"priority":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-488","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/effectively-ended\/","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"Achieving an Effective End to Veteran Homelessness","url":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/effectively-ended\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/homeless\/effectively-ended\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":""},"articleSection":"Uncategorized","author":[],"creator":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"VA Homeless Programs","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2026-01-12T21:02:42Z","datePublished":"2026-01-12T21:02:42Z","dateModified":"2026-03-20T13:32:39Z"},"rendered":"