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The decision to send soldiers off to war is never an easy one, especially considering our understanding of how combat and war situations can affect Servicemembers. For many years, the military exposed soldiers to the horrors of war, sent them home with little to no help, and expected them to resume their lives, families, and careers as if nothing had changed. This forced many Veterans to conceal their physical and mental service-related illnesses, often resorting to self-medicating with substances and drugs as a coping mechanism. Sadly, Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental illnesses often find themselves homeless with few resources. Other Veterans may become unexpectedly homeless due to a variety of circumstances, such as being away from their careers for an extended period or experiencing unexpected emergencies. The Veterans Administration (VA) seeks to address this problem by offering VA homeless programs that seek to provide financial assistance, career training, housing vouchers, transitional housing, and emergency benefits to qualifying Servicemembers and Veterans who are in need of housing assistance and meet VA homeless assistance eligibility. If you are a Veteran or the family member of a Veteran experiencing homelessness and want to know more about housing for homeless Veterans, read on to learn more about how the VA homeless program can help.
Understanding VA Homeless Programs: Available Support and Services
The VA homeless program seeks to supply Veterans experiencing homelessness, or at risk for eminent homelessness, with resources needed to avoid ending up unhoused. Knowing that many Veterans will face challenges throughout their lives that might lead to the loss of a home, the VA homeless programs seek to address each Veteran’s specific need and get them back into permanent and stable housing, including some specialized housing for homeless Veterans. Some of the benefits offered through the VA homeless program include healthcare, transitional housing, financial assistance, employment assistance, and foreclosure assistance. With the understanding that many Veterans are experiencing homelessness due to mental health and substance abuse, the VA also offers rehabilitative programs to help overcome these issues. In some cases, qualifying for Veteran housing assistance also requires going through these rehabilitative programs to remain up to date in VA homeless assistance eligibility. Those looking for housing help for Veterans should call the VA hotline at 1-877-424-3838.
How to Access Housing Assistance for Homeless Veterans
Those looking for housing help for Veterans can call the hotline listed above, but it is encouraged that anyone looking for Veterans housing assistance contact their local VA regional office. If you require transitional housing, the VA can often provide referrals to partner organizations and other HUD-provided resources that can assist you in finding transitional or emergency housing, if necessary. A trained counselor will connect with you when you call the above number, asking you several questions and assessing your personal needs. Every Veteran’s situation is different, and the type of benefits and assistance you qualify for under the VA homeless program will depend on a variety of factors. Follow these steps to apply for VA homeless programs:
- Firstly, reach out to a VA counselor at 1-877-424-3838.
- Once your counselor has assessed your needs, complete the appropriate Veterans housing assistance forms that specifically address your housing benefits needs.
- Click on this list of housing help for Veterans resources and HUD-approved emergency crisis shelters for Veterans if you need immediate assistance. Permanent housing for homeless Veterans takes longer but is the long-term goal.
Eligibility Requirements for VA Homeless Assistance and Housing Programs
The first thing to understand is that the Veterans Administration does not offer VA homeless program assistance to everyone. The VA homeless assistance eligibility criteria for VA homeless assistance are highly specific. You must first familiarize yourself with the definition of homelessness or risk of homelessness, which affects what housing for homeless Veterans you qualify for. Essentially, the definition of homeless under the VA includes those who are in shelters or transitional housing or residing in a place not meant for human imitation, or in a location for at least 90 days or less. The VA’s definition of eminent risk of homelessness encompasses individuals who could potentially lose their housing within 14 days, have no identified subsequent residence, and lack the necessary support or resources to secure alternative housing. The federal statutes define homelessness for families as follows:
- Any unaccompanied minor under the age of 25.
- Families with children and without a permanent residence.
- A persistent housing instability of two or more moves in the last 60 days.
- Homeless due to special needs, with two or more barriers to employment.
Anyone attempting to flee domestic violence qualifies for emergency homeless assistance if they have no other housing options and no financial resources or support. The counselor must assess the situation to see if any of these qualifying factors puts the Veteran in an eligible category for housing for homeless Veterans. From there, you might be given emergency housing for Veterans, or you might qualify for Veteran housing assistance under special considerations under the VA homeless assistance eligibility checklist.
Emergency Housing Resources for Veterans
If you are facing homelessness due to unforeseen circumstances or emergency conditions, you can do a Google search for “emergency housing for Veterans near me” or “help for homeless Veterans near me,” which will bring up a list of local organizations that work with the VA to provide homeless assistance and VA emergency housing for crisis situations. The VA also provides benefits and enticements to landlords to rent to Veterans through certain VA benefits programs.
The VA offers emergency assistance through the VA homeless programs and emergency VA homeless assistance eligibility in the following areas:
- Shelter resources
- Crisis housing
- Transitional housing
- Rent assistance or vouchers
- Financial crisis support
FAQs: Common Questions About VA Homeless Programs and Assistance
More information is available at this link, but some common questions about housing help for Veterans are:
Anyone who served in the US military and received an honorable discharge or medical discharge and has served for at least 180 days meets VA homeless assistance eligibility requirements and qualifies for VA homeless programs.
Anyone who served in the US military and received an honorable discharge or medical discharge and has served for at least 180 days meets VA homeless assistance eligibility requirements and qualifies for VA homeless programs.
Start by contacting the National Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838, which provides support twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. All conversations are confidential, and if you are facing eviction, the VA can offer certain resources and support services as well as housing for homeless Veterans. You can also visit your local VA regional medical center and speak to a counselor for assistance.
A collaboration between the VA and HUD, the HUD VASH program for Veterans combines rental assistance with case management and clinical services to provide housing help for Veterans. Supportive Services for Veteran Families is a program that directs Veterans and their families to community-based organizations that provide short-term assistance. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service provides Veterans with SNAP and WIC food programs. Feed Our Vets is a nonprofit organization that helps Veterans and families with food insecurity. The VA homeless program also offers rental assistance and vouchers to help homeless Veterans find housing.
This is a VA homeless program that helps homeless Veterans find and keep safe, affordable housing through collaboration between the Department of Housing and Development (HUD) and the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). It combines housing choice voucher rental assistance with VA case management and clinical services along with housing help for Veterans. Under this program, eligible Veterans receive Section 8 rental vouchers and support from a case manager who directs them in a plan to achieve and maintain housing and employment. If the Veteran is income-eligible, they can participate. Veterans pay 30–40% of their income to the landlord, and the VA pays the remaining rent.
