Jack Brady (left), an Ambassador from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter #63 (Clermont County), presents a check from the Masonic Lodge #141 (Cincinnati) to Southern Ohio Veterans Home Volunteer Coordinator Melissa Ladd (right) for $500. This check is to support the many volunteer activities conducted for the residents of the facility, especially at Christmas time. A decorated Korean War veteran, Mr. Brady was inducted into the Ford Motor Corporation Military Oval of Honor in 2022. He has been visiting with all the residents at the Ohio Veterans Home, twice a week, to share stories and determine the needs of the veterans.
“This check from Lodge #141 will help spread a little joy to these veterans,” said the 94-year-old Brady. “I really look forward to visiting the Ohio Veterans Home and talking with all my good buddies here!”
Photograph by Shirley Plahovinsak.
Although the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) achieved and surpassed its goal by placing 38,847 homeless veterans in housing units in 2023, data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) indicated that the number of homeless veterans increased by 7.4% in 2023.
The data that is used by HUD for their report is entitled the “Point-In-Time” (PIT) Count. On one specific day in January of 2023, there were 35,574 veterans who experienced homelessness in the United States.
Despite this increase between data compared between 2022 and 2023 statistics, there is still a downward trend in veteran homelessness. The estimated number of veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States has declined significantly by fifty-two (52%) percent since 2010.
Within the last three (3) years, there has been approximately a four (4%) percent reduction in veteran homelessness. Advocates for ending veteran homelessness have awaited these new 2023 results, anticipating they would show the late-stage effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the gradual end of pandemic-era protections.
The veterans counted in the HUD PIT Count were divided into two (2) categories. They are: (a) 20,067 veterans experiencing sheltered homelessness; and (b) 15,507 veterans experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
The HUD PIT Count considered the veterans who experienced sheltered homelessness as those veterans who lived in emergency shelters, transitional housing programs or other supportive settings.
Those veterans who experienced unsheltered homelessness lived in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings or even on the street.
Unsheltered veterans represented nearly eighty (80%) percent of the overall increase from 2022 to 2023.
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) believes the experience of homelessness is harmful to veterans’ whole health, mind, body and soul. Research has proven that unsheltered homelessness among veterans is more harmful to them and they have more significant health issues than those homeless veterans who are sheltered.
The VA has made supporting unsheltered veterans a top priority. Two (2) significant VA Programs, the 2023 Homelessness Goals and the All Inside Initiative, have made significant progress.
As of October of 2023, the VA has already engaged with 34,498 unsheltered veterans to ensure they have access to the shelter and housing resources they need. This has exceeded the VA’s goal to engage with 28,000 unsheltered veterans by 123.2%.
In an analysis of the recent PIT Count, HUD identified two (2) primary reasons for the increase in veterans’ homelessness. The first factor is housing affordability. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, veterans who receive housing vouchers may have extreme difficulty using them in high-cost regions with housing shortages.
The second factor is the end of COVID-related supports. During the COVID-19 pandemic, government entities expanded their emergency shelter capacities in hotels/motels due to their increased financial resources.
When the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ended, the financial resources from the federal government stopped and many local governments discontinued utilizing hotels/motels and non-congregate shelters.
Additionally, federal policies and resources that prevented evictions helped households and contributed to fewer veterans from entering homelessness.
The VA believes that the United States is at a pivotal moment in the veterans’ homelessness crisis.
The solutions are available, according to the VA, and they consist of five basic efforts. They are:
First, double down on the VA work to prevent veterans from becoming homeless in the first place. Second, connect homeless veterans to permanent housing with supportive services.
Third, establish an effective shelter system to support veterans and their families. Fourth, Increase the supply of affordable housing; and fifth to strengthen veteran protections and reduce evictions.
The VA should continue to work in collaboration with other federal and non-federal agencies to prevent and end homelessness among veterans.
“The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is disheartened to learn of the more than 7.4% increase in veteran homelessness,” said DAV National Commander Nancy Espinosa, “including a 14% rise in unsheltered veterans in the point-in-time count from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.”
“More needs to be done to fully address the severity of this nationwide housing crisis,” continued the National DAV Commander Espinosa. “We have learned what works and know that ending veteran homelessness is possible.”
“But it’s only possible when our Nation chooses to fully invest in programs and systems that work,” stated Espinosa, “emergency rental assistance, preservation and expansion of affordable housing stock, implementation and enforcement of comprehensive tenant protections and leaders willing to treat this issue like the emergency that it is.”
“If not, our Nation will continue to struggle with ending veteran homelessness,” concluded the Commander, in her December 18, 2023, communications.
My Opinion: I totally agree with DAV National Commander Espinosa and her statements concerning reducing veterans’ homelessness. One (1) homeless veteran is one veteran too many.
The VA must work together with other federal and non-federal agencies to try to implement the five (5) basic efforts they cited in their efforts.
Above all, the VA must stop making veteran housing mistakes, such as the mistake that I cited in my Opinion Article in the November 22, 2023 issue of the Clermont Sun Newspaper dealing with the VA’s COVID Mortgage Forbearance Program.
Last week, I was contacted by Mike Keith, a veteran residing in Idaho, concerning the VA’s Mortgage Forbearance Program and the significant problems he is currently experiencing with it. The VA is currently working on a solution, but 40,000 veteran homeowners are negatively impacted by the VA’s lack of long-range planning.
The VA has established a viable five (5) point plan to cope with veterans’ homelessness. Now, they must implement it.
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran, who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Hospital Chairman and the Adjutant of Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at: plahovinsak@msn.com.