FACTS AND MEDIA HOMELESS VETERANS FACT SHEET
“As long as there are veterans or veteran
family members searching for shelter on the
streets, we have failed in our duty to honor
the commitment of the brave men and
women who chose to serve.”
Senator Barack Obama, 2007
family members searching for shelter on the
streets, we have failed in our duty to honor
the commitment of the brave men and
women who chose to serve.”
Senator Barack Obama, 2007
HOMELESS VETERANS FACTS
Who are homeless veterans?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly five percent being female. The majority of them is single; come from urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About one-third of the adult homeless populations are veterans.
America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.
Roughly 56 percent of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8 percent and 15.4 percent of the U.S. population respectively. About 1.5 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at-risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.
How many homeless veterans are there?
Homeless Report (USICH) is the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC), which was completed in 1996 and updated generally every three years. You can download the NSHAPC reports at http://www.huduser.org.
Veteran-specific highlights from the USICH report include:
Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – VA estimates that 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. Only eight percent of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans.
Incarcerated Veterans
In January 2000, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a special report on incarcerated veterans. The following are highlights of the report, "Veterans in Prison or Jail":
Over 225,000 veterans were held in U.S. prisons or jails in 1998. Among adult males in 1998, there were 937 incarcerated veterans per 100,000 veteran residents. 1 in every 6 incarcerated veterans was not honorably discharged from the military. About 20% of veterans in prison reported seeing combat duty during their military service.
In 1998, an estimated 56,500 Vietnam War-era veterans and 18,500 Persian Gulf War veterans were held in state and federal prisons.
Nearly 60% of incarcerated veterans had served in the Army. Among state prisoners, over half (53%) of veterans were white non-Hispanics, compared to nearly a third (31%) of non-veterans; among federal prisoners, the percentage of veterans who were white (50%) was nearly double that of non-veterans (26%).
Why are veterans homeless?
In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (P.T.S.D) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks.
A top priority for homeless veterans is secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol. Although “most homeless people are single, unaffiliated men… most housing money in existing federal homelessness programs, in contrast, is devoted to helping homeless families or homeless women with dependent children,” as is stated in the study “Is Homelessness a Housing Problem?” (Understanding Homelessness: New Policy and Research Perspectives, Fannie Mae Foundation, 1997).
Doesn’t VA take care of homeless veterans?
To a certain extent, yes. 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. Since 1987, VA’s programs for homeless veterans have emphasized collaboration with such community service providers to help expand services to more veterans in crisis. These partnerships are credited with reducing the number of homeless veterans by more than half over the past six years. More information about VA homeless programs and initiatives can be found on the VA website.
What services do veterans need?
Veterans need a coordinated effort that provides secure housing, nutritional meals, basic physical health care, substance abuse care and aftercare, mental health counseling, personal development and empowerment. Additionally, veterans need job assessment, training and placement assistance. NCHV strongly believes that all programs to assist homeless veterans must focus on helping them obtain and sustain employment.
What seems to work best?
The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups. Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves.
Government money, while important, is currently limited, and available services are often at capacity. It is critical, therefore, that community groups reach out to help provide the support, resources and opportunities most Americans take for granted: housing, employment and health care.
VA has approximately 4,000 agreements with community partners nationwide. These types of partnerships have demonstrated that groups are most successful when they work in collaboration with federal, state and local government agencies; other homeless providers; and veteran service organizations. Veterans who participate in these collaborative programs are afforded more services and have higher chances of becoming tax-paying, productive citizens again.
What can I do?
Determine the need in your community. Visit with homeless veteran providers. Contact your mayor’s office for a list of providers, or search the NCHV database. Involve others. If you are not already part of an organization, align yourself with a few other people who are interested in attacking this issue. Participate in local homeless coalitions. Chances are there is one in your community. If not, this could be the time to bring people together around this critical need.
Who are homeless veterans?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly five percent being female. The majority of them is single; come from urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About one-third of the adult homeless populations are veterans.
America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.
Roughly 56 percent of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8 percent and 15.4 percent of the U.S. population respectively. About 1.5 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at-risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.
How many homeless veterans are there?
Homeless Report (USICH) is the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC), which was completed in 1996 and updated generally every three years. You can download the NSHAPC reports at http://www.huduser.org.
Veteran-specific highlights from the USICH report include:
- 23% of the homeless population are veterans
- 33% of the male homeless population are veterans
- 47% served Vietnam-era
- 17% served post-Vietnam
- 15% served pre-Vietnam
- 67% served three or more years
- 33% were stationed in war zone
- 25% have used VA homeless services
- 85% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans
- 89% received an honorable discharge
- 79% reside in central cities
- 16% reside in suburban areas
- 5% reside in rural areas
- 76% experience alcohol, drug or mental health problems
- 46% are white males, compared to 34% of non-veterans
- 46% are age 45 or older, compared to 20% non-veterans
Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – VA estimates that 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. Only eight percent of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans.
Incarcerated Veterans
In January 2000, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a special report on incarcerated veterans. The following are highlights of the report, "Veterans in Prison or Jail":
Over 225,000 veterans were held in U.S. prisons or jails in 1998. Among adult males in 1998, there were 937 incarcerated veterans per 100,000 veteran residents. 1 in every 6 incarcerated veterans was not honorably discharged from the military. About 20% of veterans in prison reported seeing combat duty during their military service.
In 1998, an estimated 56,500 Vietnam War-era veterans and 18,500 Persian Gulf War veterans were held in state and federal prisons.
Nearly 60% of incarcerated veterans had served in the Army. Among state prisoners, over half (53%) of veterans were white non-Hispanics, compared to nearly a third (31%) of non-veterans; among federal prisoners, the percentage of veterans who were white (50%) was nearly double that of non-veterans (26%).
- Among state prisoners, the median age of veterans was 10 years older than that of other prison and jail inmates.
- Among state prisoners, veterans (32%) were about 3 times more likely than non-veterans (11%) to have attended college.
- Veterans are more likely than others to be in prison for a violent offense but less likely to be serving a sentence for drugs.
- About 35% of veterans in state prison, compared to 20% of non-veterans, were convicted of homicide or sexual assault.
- Veterans (30%) were more likely than other state prisoners (23%) to be first-time offenders.
- Among violent state prisoners, the average sentence of veterans was 50 months longer than the average of non-veterans.
- At year-end in 1997, sex offenders accounted for 1 in 3 prisoners held in military correctional facilities.
- Combat veterans were no more likely to be violent offenders than other veterans.
- Veterans in state prison reported higher levels of alcohol abuse and lower levels of drug abuse than other prisoners.
- Veterans in state prison were less likely (26%) than other state prisoners (34%) to report having used drugs at the time of their offense.
- Nearly 60% of veterans in state prison had driven drunk in the past, compared to 45% of other inmates.
- About 70% of veterans, compared to 54% of other state prisoners, had been working full-time before arrest.
- Incarcerated veterans were as likely as non-veterans to have been homeless when arrested.
Why are veterans homeless?
In addition to the complex set of factors influencing all homelessness – extreme shortage of affordable housing, livable income and access to health care – a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (P.T.S.D) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks.
A top priority for homeless veterans is secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment free of drugs and alcohol. Although “most homeless people are single, unaffiliated men… most housing money in existing federal homelessness programs, in contrast, is devoted to helping homeless families or homeless women with dependent children,” as is stated in the study “Is Homelessness a Housing Problem?” (Understanding Homelessness: New Policy and Research Perspectives, Fannie Mae Foundation, 1997).
Doesn’t VA take care of homeless veterans?
To a certain extent, yes. 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. Since 1987, VA’s programs for homeless veterans have emphasized collaboration with such community service providers to help expand services to more veterans in crisis. These partnerships are credited with reducing the number of homeless veterans by more than half over the past six years. More information about VA homeless programs and initiatives can be found on the VA website.
What services do veterans need?
Veterans need a coordinated effort that provides secure housing, nutritional meals, basic physical health care, substance abuse care and aftercare, mental health counseling, personal development and empowerment. Additionally, veterans need job assessment, training and placement assistance. NCHV strongly believes that all programs to assist homeless veterans must focus on helping them obtain and sustain employment.
What seems to work best?
The most effective programs for homeless and at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit, “veterans helping veterans” groups. Programs that seem to work best feature transitional housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves.
Government money, while important, is currently limited, and available services are often at capacity. It is critical, therefore, that community groups reach out to help provide the support, resources and opportunities most Americans take for granted: housing, employment and health care.
VA has approximately 4,000 agreements with community partners nationwide. These types of partnerships have demonstrated that groups are most successful when they work in collaboration with federal, state and local government agencies; other homeless providers; and veteran service organizations. Veterans who participate in these collaborative programs are afforded more services and have higher chances of becoming tax-paying, productive citizens again.
What can I do?
Determine the need in your community. Visit with homeless veteran providers. Contact your mayor’s office for a list of providers, or search the NCHV database. Involve others. If you are not already part of an organization, align yourself with a few other people who are interested in attacking this issue. Participate in local homeless coalitions. Chances are there is one in your community. If not, this could be the time to bring people together around this critical need.