How Many Veterans Are Homeless

Substance And Alcohol Abuse

Alcoholism and drug use are common among U.S. vets. about half of all veterans experiencing homelessness have substance abuse disorders. With alcoholism, studies show that homelessness is likely the cause of drinking rather than the result. The reason? Self-medication. Vets self-medicate to deal with psychological disturbances caused by past trauma and genetics.

Homeless vets, like homeless non-vets, use a variety of drugs. But street vets use more opioids. 10 times the rate of non-homeless vets. Because of this, opioid use likely relates more to the cause of homelessness in veterans than the result.

Also, many veterans drink. About 20% of homeless veterans were diagnosed with alcoholism.

Age Gender & Race/ethnicity

Veterans experiencing homelessness in shelters tend to be single male adults, older than their non-veteran peers, more likely to have a disability, and are equally likely to be white non-Hispanic as they are to be a minorityiii. Among the sheltered homeless veteran population:

• 8.4% are between 18 and 30
• 45% are between 31 and 50
• 38.1% are between 51 and 61
• 8.9% are 62 or olderiv

• About 8% of sheltered homeless veterans are female, a number that has been increasing steadily since 2000v
• Among all homeless women in the 1996 NHSAPC, 1% were veterans as compared to 33% veterans among homeless men
• In a study of older homeless adults in Minnesota, 36% had served in the US military 44% of older homeless men had servedvi

• 49.2% are White, non-Hispanic/non-Latino
• 3.4% are American Indian or Alaska Native
• 5.1% are other racesvii

The Most Disheartening Homeless Veterans Statistics :

• Almost 40,000 veterans are without shelter in the US on any given night.
• The number of vets experiencing homelessness is down by over 40% since 2011.
• The leading causes of homelessness among vets are PTSD, social isolation, unemployment, and substance abuse.
• Veterans account for 11% of homeless adults in the US.
• California has the highest number of vets living on the streets.

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Who Are The Homeless Vets

12. 60,000 veterans are sleeping on the streets.

Unfortunately, the number of homeless veterans has been rising over the years and on any given night, around 60,000 veterans are sleeping on the streets due to homelessness. Veteran homelessness is a growing concern among US citizens.

13. 1.4 million veterans are at risk of homelessness.

Many ask, why do veterans end up homeless? A lack of healthy support networks, affordable housing, and increasing poverty are the reasons that put veterans at an increased risk of homelessness. It is because of these reasons that an estimated 1.4 million veterans are at risk of homelessness in the US.

14. VA to award more than $400 million in grants to end veteran homelessness.

The US Department of Veteran Affairs has taken the initiative to end veteran homelessness by awarding over $400 million in grants. Where this money will go and how itll help homeless vets are the first questions that concern most people.

15.The US Department of Veterans Affairs is granting more than $400 million under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program . The sum will be distributed to 266 non-profit organizations.

The VA announced that the sum of $400 million will go to 266 non-profit organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands.

16. Housing advocates arent wondering whether the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will lead to an increase in homeless veterans, but rather how big the increase will be.

What Programs Help Homeless Veterans

Many programs exist to help homeless veterans or veterans at risk of homelessness obtain and keep stable housing. These include programs from both government-run and non-profit organizations.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing . HUD-VASH is a joint program between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs . This program combines HUDâs housing choice vouchers for government-subsidized housing with VA resources for mental health care, substance abuse counseling, or other needed services.

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program . HVRP is an employment-focused program that provides homeless veterans with employment training.

Domiciliary Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs . DRRTP is a residential care program for veterans struggling with homelessness or other severe issues like substance use disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Placement in this program generally lasts from 30 to 120 days and provides veterans with residential care, counseling, and community while teaching skills needed for gainful employment.

U.S. Vets. This non-profit organization provides emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to homeless U.S. veterans. Workforce training, job placement assistance, and free counseling and treatment services are also available.

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General Causes Of Homelessness

Poverty is the main cause of homelessness. Little money means a little home. Yet if you are destitute or unlucky, little money means no home. Most homeless veterans come from poor neighborhoods. The majority are also single. They survive on only one source of income. Thats a war in itself.

Unaffordable housing is the other main cause of homelessness. Too many people make double the poor mans income. Plus rent prices are unethically high. Scrounging up the rent can be challenging, like stopping a supersonic missile before impact.

The Number Of Homeless Veterans Through The Years

1.Good news: the total number of veterans without shelter is steadily decreasing

After a disappointing 2017, the number of veterans without appropriate housing decreased by over 5% in 2018. The decreasing rate has been attributed to continued commitment from local, state, and federal authorities.

Military Times

2. There was a huge drop of homeless veterans in 2018

HUD reported a decline in the number of veterans without shelter and on the streets after counting a total of 37,878 living in transitional housing, shelters, or the streets in early 2018. Compared to 2017, volunteers counted over 2,100 vets less.

Stripes

3. The number is down by 43% since 2011

Official HUD records show a sharp decline of vets without a home since 2011. According to HUDs homeless veterans statistics from 2018, the number is now well below 40,000.

4.Yet another decrease was detected in 2019

The US Department of Veterans Affairs reported a further 2.1% drop in early 2019. Thats even more vets off the streets after yet another decline the previous year. Since 2017, the number has repeatedly fallen by a few more percentages, showing that the efforts to end veterans homelessness are coming to fruition.

5.Some states have already announced an end to the problem in 2019

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Risk Factors For Homelessness Among Veterans

Less than 1% of veterans are homeless, but certain groups of veterans are at particular risk for becoming homelessviii.

• Gender/Age/Race
• Although their numbers are small, women and people who are between the ages of 18 and 30 are subgroups of veterans who are at particularly high risk of becoming homeless.
• Rates of homelessness are higher for veterans who identify as Hispanic, African-American, and Native American than for non-minority veterans.
• Ten percent of veterans living in poverty became homeless at some point during the year, compared to only 5% of non-veterans living in poverty.
• Women veterans living in poverty are nearly 3 times more likely to be homeless than non-veteran women living in poverty
• Young veterans living in poverty are nearly 3 times more likely to be homeless than non-veteran adults living in poverty
• About 1 in 4 Hispanic and African-American veterans living in poverty become homelessix.

Homeless Veterans Are Older And First Experience Homelessness Later In Life Compared To The Homeless Population Overall

• In 2018, the average age of Veterans experiencing homelessness was 53, a full decade older than the overall population of adults experiencing homelessness .
• The average age at which Veterans first experienced homelessness is 37 years, nearly a decade later than the average age of first homelessness for adults overall .

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What Can I Do To Help Homeless Veterans

There are many ways you can help homeless veterans in your community. Offering donations, doing volunteer work, or simply engaging with those who have the power to make changes are all greatly helpful.

Encourage the development of affordable housing in your community. If youâre a landlord, consider accepting HUD vouchers, and encourage other property owners in your community to do the same. Risk-mitigation funding can encourage property owners in your community to rent to homeless veterans who donât have HUD vouchers.

Encourage your employer to provide opportunities to veterans. Employers can connect with VA community employment coordinators at their closest VA medical center. There, they can post job openings and interview local veterans.

Consider providing pro-bono services to area veterans. Veterans struggling with homelessness or at risk of homelessness often need services like legal advice, home repairs, or haircuts to help them find or keep homes or employment. If you offer a professional service, consider taking some pro-bono veteran clients.

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Employment Rates Among Veterans Are Similar To The Overall Homeless Population

• 29% of Veterans experiencing homelessness were employed 17% overall were employed full time. These rates are similar to the overall population of adults experiencing homelessness .
• 34% of unemployed homeless Veterans were looking for work. Among those who were unemployed, 73% reported being unemployed for a year or more 52% had been unemployed for more than four years.

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Veteran Homelessness Per State

30. California has the highest estimated number of veterans experiencing homelessness

Sunny California is sitting at the top of the list with nearly 11,000 veterans currently living without any shelter. The exact number in 2019 was 10,980, which is nearly 5 times more than the second state on the list. California also has the highest number of homeless people in the US per state.

Statista

31. Florida ranks second

The number of homeless veterans in Florida is significantly smaller than in California. In 2019, a total of 2,543 vets were counted by the authorities experiencing homelessness. Thats out of a total homeless population of just over 31,000 in Florida.

USICH

32. Texas, Washington, and Oregon follow suit

The number of vets experiencing homelessness is highest in California and Florida, with Texas coming right below them on the list. In 2019, a total of 1,806 veterans were homeless in Texas, with Washington and Oregon close behind .

Statista

33. New York and Colorado the last remaining states with over 1,000 US vets experiencing homelessness

Surprisingly, New York and Colorado are the only other states with a count of over 1,000 homeless people who have served in the Army.

Statista

34. North Dakota and Wyoming on the bottom of the list

Statista

35. North Dakota and Wyoming had the greatest decrease in homelessness among US veterans in 2018

The drop experienced in North Dakota was a massive 87.8%, far ahead of Wyoming , Kentucky , Delaware , and Washington .

Forbes

We Can End Homelessness For Veterans We Can End Homelessness For Everyone

In the years leading up to the pandemic, veteran homelessness was cut roughly in half, and the US Interagency Council on Homelessness has recognized 79 communities and 3 states as ending it .

Since Housing First and government investments have helped to produce such results, the combination can likely help any veterans driven into homelessness by COVID-19 and all other people experiencing homelessness.

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How Many Veterans Experience Homelessness

On a single night in January 2020:

• 37,252 veterans were experiencing homelessness.
• 22,048 veterans were sheltered, while 15,204 veterans were unsheltered.
• Most homeless veterans were without children only 2 percent were homeless as part of a family.
• 91.3 percent were men, while 8.4 percent were women.

What You Can Do To Help Veterans In Your Community

No one deserves to live without safe and stable housing. The sheer number of homeless veterans is staggering, and if you are concerned about this issue, it is important to take action.

You can help homeless veterans in your community by:

Determining What Your Community Needs

Joining a Homeless Coalition

Contacting your Elected Officials

Donating What You Can

Volunteering with a Peer Support Group

Volunteering with Organizations Responding to Risk Factors

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Why Are Veterans Homeless

In addition to the complex set of factors that affect most homeless individuals lack of affordable housing, poverty, job or income loss, mental illness, substance abuse, health problems, etc. many veterans live with the lingering effect of PTSD, often compounded by a lack of family and social support networks. Military occupations and training are not always transferable to the civilian workforce, placing some veterans at a disadvantage when competing for employment.

How Does Substance Abuse Play Into Veteran Homelessness

How does substance misuse contribute to or lead to homelessness among veterans? First, substance use disorder can lead to continued compulsive behavior even if it harms the persons life.6 For example, it can create difficulties keeping up with work responsibilities, money management, and interpersonal relationships.6 Therefore, SUD can easily lead to a veteran losing their home and becoming homeless.

Second, SUD is strongly connected to experiencing mental health disorders. Experiencing both conditions increases the risk of experiencing homelessness. Seeking treatment for both conditions through a co-occurring disorder treatment program will help veterans find the path to recovery. Many facilities, whether part the Department of Veterans Affairs health network or a private facility, offer specialized treatment tracks for veterans struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders.

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Doesnt The Va Take Care Of Homeless Veterans

To a certain extent, yes. The VA’s specialized homeless programs served more than 92,000 veterans in 2009, which is highly commendable. This still leaves well over 100,000 more veterans, however, who must seek assistance from local government agencies and community- and faith-based service organizations.

Homeless Veterans In America

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America is proud of her veterans. That much we know. Our country does a lot for those who have worn the uniform and swore to defend our freedom. But sometimes people, even veterans fall through the cracks. There are over 630,000 homeless people in America. 67,495 are veterans. It amazes me that in todays society, over 1 in 10 homeless people in America are veterans.

There are a variety of reasons for such a large percentage of homeless being veterans.

Studies show that the veteran population is 2x more likely to become chronically homeless than other American groups. There are many reasons veterans make up such a large percentage of the homeless population. Contributing factors include long periods of unemployment, foreclosure, mental illness, and poverty.

Here are some numbers to back up the contributing factors:

• Over 968,000 veterans lived in poverty in the last year.
• 20,000 veterans with government sponsored mortgages lost their homes in 2010.
• 76% of homeless veterans experience alcohol, drug, or mental health issues.30.2% of veterans ages 18-24 are unemployed.

Its easy to jump to conclusions, but we shouldnt. Here is some surprising information about homeless veterans:

• 89% received an honorable discharge.
• 67% served 3 years or more.
• 47% are Vietnam veterans

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What Is A Homeless Veteran

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development clarifies that a person is experiencing homelessness if they meet any of these criteria:2

• A person who does not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
• Someone who stays overnight at a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used for sleeping .
• A person who is living in a temporary shelter. These could include homeless shelters, motels paid for by the government or by charities, and transitional housing.
• Someone who is living in a place not meant for human habitation.
• A person who is getting ready to lose their home and has no other place to go.

Supportive Housing For Veterans Compared To Non

The needs between veterans and non-veterans experiencing homelessness can differ. A study was implemented by the Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness in 2004 by the Interagency Council on Homelessness. They used eleven sites around the United States tracked data for one year by comparing 162 chronically homeless veterans to 388 chronically homeless non-veterans.

Both groups were enrolled in a national supported housing initiative over a one-year period and several differences were noted. The first was that the veterans tended to be from an older age group, identified as male, and were more likely to have completed high school. While in enrolled in supported housing, the mental health of both groups improved through mental health services offered. However, veterans were reported to make greater use of the outpatient mental health services compared to non-veterans. Both groups also gradually reduced the use of health services once housing was obtained, therefore, this suggests that the program is effective in reducing clinical needs among chronically homeless of adults in general.

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Causes & Risk Factors For Veteran Homelessness

Homelessness is more prevalent among veterans than it is in the general population.1 A variety of factors contribute to homelessness in any population, and each situation is unique. However, some trends in veteran homelessness cannot be overlooked. Two main factors play a role in veterans becoming homeless substance use and mental illness.1

Results of 31 studies on the causes of homelessness in veterans point to substance use as the most consequential risk factor.1 Experiencing a mental health disorder was also a strong risk factor in a veteran becoming homeless, and PTSD was a particular focus in the studies.1 However, it was determined that PTSD, while a factor, was not a greater risk than any other mental health disorder.1 Vets who have PTSD may be more likely to use substances as a way to cope with PTSD symptoms. We know from other research that there is a strong link between substance use disorder and mental illness, which could account for why veterans facing homelessness frequently experienced both of these risk factors.3 The studies also indicated other factors that could contribute to homelessness in veterans.

Veterans facing homelessness, or the risk of homelessness, were likely to struggle with these homelessness risk factors :1

• Substance use.
• Adverse childhood experiences.