Veteran homelessness is increasing. As a nation, we cannot allow this to continue.
On August 23, 1977, Sergeant Jensen Shirley was performing his military duties as instructed and required when the unthinkable happened. An explosive device detonated prematurely, blowing up in his...
Veterans have a higher likelihood than nonveterans of becoming displaced from their homes. They make up about 7% of all homeless adults in the U.S., even though they only represent around 6% of the total U.S. population. Black veterans are especially overrepresented among homeless veterans,
People experiencing homelessness have higher rates of illness, are more likely to be the victims of violent crime, and experience higher suicide rates.
There is no one root cause of the veteran housing crisis. Factors include difficulty transitioning to civilian life; gaps in mental health support; substance abuse; difficulty finding employment; and the growing disparity between income and the cost of housing. Solving this issue requires on-the-ground solutions as well as political action.