Housing crisis resources for veterans

If you are in crisis right now

There are three doors open to a veteran in immediate housing crisis, and any one of them can connect you with the rest:

• Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838). The VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans is staffed 24/7 and is free. Responders can warm-transfer you to a local VA homeless team.
• Go to the nearest VA medical center. Every VA medical center has a Homeless Program Coordinator (sometimes listed as the HPACT team). Ask the front desk for the homeless coordinator. VA medical centers can authorize emergency housing and food assistance under 38 U.S.C. § 2022[src].
• Ask for a Grant and Per Diem shelter bed. GPD providers are community organizations that hold VA-funded beds for veterans and can sometimes admit the same day.

If you are in a mental-health crisis as well, the Veterans Crisis Line is 988 then press 1, or text 838255. See mental health resources.

HUD-VASH: rental voucher plus VA case management

HUD-VASH is a joint program between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and VA, authorized at 38 U.S.C. § 2041[src]. It pairs two things a veteran typically needs at the same time: a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher administered by the local Public Housing Authority (PHA), and clinical case management provided by a VA medical center social worker.

A veteran may be eligible if they are experiencing homelessness (or at risk of homelessness) and are enrolled in VA healthcare or eligible to enroll. A service-connected disability rating is notrequired. The voucher generally covers the portion of rent above roughly 30 percent of the veteran’s adjusted monthly income, with the PHA setting the payment standard and rental caps for the local market. Details and the application path are at VA.gov HUD-VASH[src].

Access to HUD-VASH typically starts with a referral from a VA Homeless Program Coordinator. Calling 1-877-4AID-VET or walking into a VA medical center and asking for the homeless team is the standard entry point.

SSVF: eviction prevention and rapid rehousing

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is VA’s grant-funded program that works with community nonprofits to help veteran families (including single veterans) either keep the housing they have or get back into housing quickly if they have already lost it. Eligibility is generally limited to very low-income veteran households. SSVF can provide temporary financial assistance (for example, back rent, security deposits, or utility arrears) and intensive case management. The program map and grantee locator is at VA.gov SSVF[src].

SSVF is often the right first call for a veteran who has received an eviction notice but has not yet been forced out. Acting before the eviction is filed is usually easier than after. A VA homeless coordinator or the National Call Center can identify the SSVF grantee covering a specific ZIP code.

Grant and Per Diem (GPD): transitional housing

The Grant and Per Diem program funds community-based nonprofits to operate transitional housing for veterans experiencing homelessness. Stays are time-limited (generally up to 24 months) and include wrap-around services such as employment assistance, substance-use treatment linkage, and help moving into permanent housing. A service-connected rating is not required. The program overview and provider locator are at VA.gov GPD[src].

GPD works well for veterans who need stability and support while they stabilize income, address health issues, or repair credit before moving into long-term housing. Referrals usually come through a VA homeless coordinator, though some GPD providers accept direct contact.

CRRCs and Stand Down events

VA Community Resource and Referral Centers (CRRCs) are walk-in hubs in certain cities that connect veterans with housing, healthcare, benefits, employment, and legal services in one visit. A CRRC is a good entry point for a veteran who does not yet know what they need.

Stand Down events are annual, community-run events (often one to three days) that bring homeless-services providers, CVSOs, VA outreach teams, and volunteer clinicians together in one place. Stand Downs typically offer benefits screening, clothing, showers, haircuts, a meal, and on-site enrollment support. A local VA homeless coordinator or the National Call Center can share the nearest Stand Down schedule.

Discharge barrier: what OTH and GUH veterans should know

The rules that control access to disability compensation are not the same as the rules that control access to homeless services. Many veterans with Other-Than-Honorable (OTH) or General Under Honorable Conditions (GUH) discharges canaccess VA homeless programs in most cases, even while a character-of-discharge determination is pending or denied for compensation purposes. VA’s homeless-services authority at 38 U.S.C. § 2022[src] is written broadly, and VA’s public-facing homeless resources page at VA.gov/homeless[src] explicitly invites veterans with any discharge status to call.

If a veteran has been told that an OTH discharge disqualifies them, a second opinion from a CVSO or a VA homeless coordinator is worth getting. A separate character-of-discharge review may also open the door to broader VA benefits over time. See character of discharge for the review framework.

Where to start

• Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838). The National Call Center for Homeless Veterans is the single best first call. It is free, confidential, and 24/7.
• Go to the nearest VA medical center. Ask the front desk for the Homeless Program Coordinator or HPACT team. Walk-ins are accepted.
• Call 211 or visit 211.org. 211 is a non-veteran-specific local social-services hotline. It can locate emergency shelter beds, food pantries, utility assistance, and eviction-prevention resources that are not VA-funded and may be available even when VA options are full.
• Ask a CVSO to help navigate. County Veterans Service Officers can help a veteran apply for homeless programs and file any related VA claims (for example, compensation for a service-connected condition that is contributing to the housing instability).