For Fiscal Year 2012, the Senate Committee on Appropriations asked the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) to provide an assessment of the progress of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program and of efforts to address homelessness experienced by Veterans in rural communities and on Native American reservations. USICH is pleased to present the resulting report: USICH Report to Congress on Homeless Veterans.

The report credits the recent 17 percent reduction in homelessness among Veterans since 2009 to increased collaboration between HUD and VA at the federal and local level and federal investment in innovative programs and practices for Veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. One of the most effective programs for Veterans is the HUD-VASH program, which as of September 30, 2012 has provided over 40,000 Veterans with permanent supportive housing through rental vouchers provided by HUD and case management provided through VA.

The report assesses the progress of the HUD-VASH program against its performance measures concerning voucher utilization, targeting, and lease-up times. It highlights innovative practices that government and community stakeholders are utilizing to improve the performance of this program. The report also details the programs and improvements needed to address Veteran homelessness in rural areas and on Native American reservations. The report calls for improved coordination of resources among federal agencies serving Veterans in rural areas and reservations and increased engagement with tribal government. 

USICH looks forward to working with Congress and our partners across the country in 2013 and beyond as we implement Opening Doors in collaboration with the 19 member agencies of the Council. With strategic investment in programs and practices that are effective, there is tremendous opportunity to harness momentum from our progress on ending Veterans homelessness to achieve our goal.

Go to report 

As agencies across the federal government accelerate their work towards the 2015 goal ofending homelessness among Veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has increased its investment in services for Veterans and their families by tripling funding for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is the only program administered by VA that awards grants to local non-profit organizations to provide services and cash assistance not only to Veterans but to their families as well. Dr. Josh Bamberger, Special Assistant to the Executive Director at USICH, details this program and one innovative SSVF grantee in Wayne County, MI, Southwest Solutions, that works to serve Veterans and their families with a wide variety of services.

SSVF is crucial in filling gaps in services funding for Veterans that other VA programs are not able to fund, helping to move Veterans permanently out of homelessness in a faster and more efficient way. VA is currently accepting applications from local non-profit organizations for the SSVF program. VA expects that it will award up to $300 million in SSVF program grants in 2013 (an increase from $100 million in 2012). The deadline for applications is February 1, 2013. 

Read more about the SSVF program and the innovative work by Southwest Solutions