1/31/23

The Northern Arizona VA health care system’s homeless veteran program, along with its community partners, housed 445 veterans in 2022, exceeding their target goal by 157%.

Nationally, the 2022 goal was to house 38,000 homeless veterans— a goal that was exceeded by 6.3%. The Department of Veterans Affairs remains committed to ending veteran homelessness and increasing housing placements is critical to achieving this goal.

Steve Sample, Medical Center Director said, “This success is a result of efforts built on the evidence-based ‘housing first’ approach, which prioritizes getting a veteran into housing, then provides the veteran with the support they need to stay housed.”

Looking ahead, the VA will continue to explore new avenues to house homeless veterans and overcome housing barriers. In collaboration with U.S. Vets, Gorman & Company, and the Arizona Department of Housing, a supportive housing project on the grounds of the VA's Fort Whipple campus is in the initial planning stages. The VA is also expanding outreach to ensure that homeless veterans are aware of services available to them.