Although I am optimistic by nature, I do believe there is no way to truly reach zero homeless; it is simply not possible to insulate people from the immediate crises caused by poor decisions, medical issues, lay-offs , family disputes, mental breakdowns, etc. What we CAN impact or control is the amount of time individuals are homeless; chronic homelessness is deadly (toll on physical and mental health) and unnecessary.
At times, the government uses the term “functional end” to homelessness. The term, “functional end” to homelessness is based on a statistical equation that shows that the number of individuals being housed in a given period of time by a Continuum of Care (COC) or system of service providers meets or exceeds the number becoming homeless during the same time. As an example, in late 2016, during a three- month period, 67 Veterans became homeless in Hampton Roads. During that same time period, 100 homeless Veterans obtained permanent housing; this meets the definition of the “functional end” to homelessness.
The VA is also able to tell homeless Veterans, that if a Veteran becomes literally homeless, (The HUD definition of homeless is staying in shelter or a place not meant for habitation.), and wants help with housing, s(he) can be housed in an average of 90 days. If a homeless veteran does not want housing, this does not mean the VA gives up on the person, rather it continues to do outreach and offer assistance and it does not penalize her/him if the individual does not want the help or it takes the person time to convince her/him to get help.
With the effort to end homelessness among Veterans begun under the Obama Administration, the VA was given more resources than the COC’s; there are 746 Veteran housing vouchers in Hampton Roads and about $250,000 in Veteran specific Rapid Rehousing money available to them. So it not a surprise that winter shelters are seeing high numbers of civilian homeless, particularly families. There are almost no COC civilian vouchers for homeless families.
Despite meeting the “functional end” to homelessness definition in 2015 and 2016, the homeless program at the VA continues to be busy; however, VERY few of the Veterans that are seen these days are chronically homeless. Most of the chronically homeless Veterans from the past are now housed. The Veterans the VA tends to see these days are Veterans who are trying to prevent homelessness or the Veterans that recently became homeless or are seeking treatment.
During the Point in Time Count of the Homeless (PIT) in January, the number of homeless Veterans was much lower than civilians, a ratio of 1 to 15. It can be very depressing to do the PIT Count because in some cities and counties, there are so few resources for civilian homeless and so many competing for the few resources that do exist. Without sufficient resources, that is, an adequate, affordable, quality housing stock, money and the capability of insulating people from immediate crises, there really is no way to truly reach zero homeless.
Martha Chick-Ebey
Homeless Coordinator at the VA Medical Center
Hampton, VA