Veteran Homelessness: Facts on Homelessness

Veterans

Reaching Functional Zero: How Philadelphia Ended Veteran Homelessness

Philadelphia’s success in ending veteran homelessness demonstrates that with persistence, coordination, and the right resources, real change is possible. In 2015, the city became one of the first in the nation to reach functional zero for veteran homelessness—meaning homelessness among veterans had become rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Philadelphia has maintained that milestone through 2024, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This remarkable achievement was the result of years of focused collaboration. In 2013, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the City of Philadelphia, and local nonprofits (including Project HOME) formed the Philly Vets Home Collaborative, uniting around a single goal: to house every veteran. Through a HUD-funded “Veteran Bootcamp,” the team set 100-day housing targets, created a “living, breathing” by-name list to track each veteran’s housing status, and met weekly to identify and remove barriers. 

The Bootcamp Team streamlined HUD-VASH voucher processing, expanded prevention and rapid rehousing through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, and launched dedicated outreach teams to connect unsheltered veterans directly to housing. According to the Philly Vets Home Collaborative, the Bootcamp Team housed more than 1,600 veterans and reduced veteran homelessness by more than 90 percent between 2013 and 2016—from 2142 to 195. The Bootcamp Team’s exhaustive methods uncovered a large number of veterans who were experiencing homelessness, but who are often overlooked during the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. Although the same figures are not represented in PIT count numbers (due to the limitations of the methodology), HUD data from 2007 to 2024 shows an 80 percent decrease in veteran homelessness.

*Philadelphia data is unavailable for 2010; see Veteran Homelessness 2010 Supplemental Report for state level data.

Causes of Veteran Homelessness

While homelessness often stems from the widening gap between household incomes and rising housing costs, veterans face unique challenges that heighten their risk of housing insecurity. Many experience service-related disabilities or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A 2013 study found that two-thirds of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experiencing homelessness were diagnosed with PTSD—making it harder to maintain stable housing. 

Others struggle to reintegrate into civilian life, particularly during economic downturns like the Great Recession, which left many veterans facing unstable employment and unaffordable housing. Homelessness has long had a disproportionate impact on veterans, who in the early 2000s accounted for 26 percent of the nation’s homeless population despite comprising only 11 percent of the general population. But because of the success of programs like HUD-VASH and SSVF, veterans now comprise only 4 percent of the nation's homelessness population.

HUD-VASH and SSVF: Core Solutions

Two key federal programs have been central to reducing veteran homelessness:

• HUD-VASH (HUD–Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing): Combines HUD rental assistance with VA case management and clinical services. Veterans receive permanent housing vouchers and access to voluntary health, mental health, and substance use services.
• SSVF (Supportive Services for Veteran Families): Provides grants to nonprofits that help veterans and their families prevent homelessness, find stable housing, or quickly exit homelessness through case management and financial assistance.

The success of these two programs hinges on its holistic approach: not only do they address the structural barriers of housing affordability, but they provide voluntary supportive services like health care, mental health, and substance use treatment to alleviate the circumstances that leave many veterans vulnerable to experiencing homelessness. The shift to a health-minded, housing-first approach led to a 53.3 percent decrease in veteran homelessness nationwide from 2010 to 2022.

In Philadelphia, these two programs continue to provide veterans with affordable housing and the supports they need. The Philadelphia Housing Authority distributes HUD-VASH vouchers through referrals from the VA, while the Veterans Multi-Service Center administers the region's SSVF programs.

Together, HUD-VASH and SSVF have built the infrastructure that allows Philadelphia to sustain functional zero for veteran homelessness.

Strides Made, But More Can Be Done

Philadelphia's maintenance of functional zero for veteran homelessness proves that it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring. But there is still more than can be done. In 2025, 284 veterans experienced homelessness in Philadelphia, a 20% increase from 2024. While the total number of veterans experiencing homelessness has decreased significantly since 2007, the progress seen in the 2010s has plateaued. 

This trend coincided with a reduction in the number of HUD-VASH vouchers allocated to the Philadelphia Housing Authority. The city received 687 vouchers from 2008 to 2016, but less than 250 from 2017 to 2024. As investments in programs stall, so does our ability to assist people in need.

As the cost of housing continues to rise, it's vital that programs like HUD-VASH and SSVF are scaled up to meet the demands of the present moment. While we've attained functional zero, it is possible that with additional resources we could end veteran homelessness entirely.

Resources

For more information and resources on veteran homelessness in Philadelphia—including ways to assist veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness—see:

• The Veterans Multi-Service Center: Serving the greater Philadelphia Metro Area, the VMC spearheads Philadelphia's services for veterans experiencing homelessness, including SSVF programs. The VMC provides comprehensive supportive services for veterans experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. Along with a day services center (The Perimeter), the VMC also operates three permanent supportive housing programs for veterans and chronically homeless individuals. The VMC is also one of three access points with the Office of Homeless Services.
• Homeless Advocacy Project: HAP provides specialized legal services for veterans experiencing homelessness. They assist with accessing VA benefits, healthcare services, and SSI/SSDI benefits. In partnership with the VA, HAP also operates a monthly legal clinic at the VMC to engage with veterans and provide services.
• Philly Vets Home 2015: A history of Philadelphia's recent efforts to end veteran homelessness, this case study chronicles the contributions of the federal government, state/local government, and city nonprofits.

For a list of resources for people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, see Project HOME's Where to Turn Guide on our website.