Virginia is the First State in the Nation to Functionally End Veteran Homelessness

RICHMOND – November 13, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that Virginia has been certified by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as the first state in the nation to functionally end veteran homelessness. Speaking at a Veterans Day ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial alongside U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, Governor McAuliffe declared that Virginia has housed 1,432 homeless veterans since October 2014.

Communities throughout Virginia have made vast improvements in their homelessness response and housing assistance systems. By using evidenced-based tools for triaging the needs of identified veterans, making both rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing resources available, as well as incorporating the principles of Housing First throughout the entire spectrum of housing assistance for a veteran, these systems have been streamlined to help a veteran experiencing homelessness to quickly secure permanent housing.

Additionally, by engaging with non-traditional partners, such as Dominion Virginia Power and Appalachian Power Company, Virginia is continuing to expand the depth of the supportive networks in place to help veterans to continue living in their homes

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