Number of homeless veterans declines across United States

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs say the number of homeless veterans nationwide has declined slightly.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told reporters Tuesday in New Hampshire that the number of veterans who are homeless fell by 2% between 2018 and 2019.

That follows a decline of 5% from a year earlier and is down by almost 50% from 2009.

Carson largely credits the progress to an approach started under the Obama administration. It centred on a program called the HUD-VA Supporting Housing Program, which Congress boosted funds to in 2008. It gives homeless veterans permanent housing while also providing them a case manager and clinical care services.