Why are there Homeless Veterans – Facts about Veteran Homelessness

Roughly 1.5 million veterans are considered to be at risk for homelessness. This means they are living below the poverty level, and more than 50% of their household income is spent on rent. Veterans are 50% more likely to become homeless than other Americans due to the lack of support networks, poverty, and poor living conditions in substandard or overcrowded housing.

96% of homeless veterans are single males from poor, disadvantaged communities. At Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard, we’ve compiled some of the most critical facts on veteran homelessness to help our community better understand the importance of our mission.

What Factors Can Lead to a Veteran Experiencing Homelessness?

Many veterans suffer from mental health issues like PTSD or depression that can interfere with their ability to hold down employment, maintain relationships, and keep up with financial obligations. This can lead to homelessness. Additionally, many veterans lack access to affordable housing, and many veterans also struggle to find meaningful work after leaving the military.

These issues can be exacerbated by physical disabilities due to injury, limited education or job skills, and substance abuse issues that are more common among veterans than in the general population.

Resources show that the greatest risk factors affecting veterans are the lack of support they receive and the social isolation they experience after their discharge from service.

How Many Homeless Veterans Are There?

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are roughly 107,000 homeless veterans at any given time in the United States. Based on projections in 1996 by the Urban Institute and the National Survey of Homeless Assitance Providers, each year, 2.3 million to 2.5 million people experience homelessness throughout the United States.

Based on their research, 23% of all homeless people are veterans, and 33% of all homeless men are veterans. When you take 23% of this total range, you will find that anywhere from 529,00 to 840,000 veterans are homeless at some point in the year.

Pennsylvania has the nation’s 4th largest veteran population. Allegheny County has a population of roughly 65,000 veterans. As of 2022, there were 880 people facing homelessness in Allegheny County, a number that continues to rise. Of those 880 people, 85 of them were veterans.

What Services Can Help Homeless Veterans?

Veterans require services such as nutritional meals, safe and secure housing, healthcare, substance abuse care, substance abuse aftercare, personal development, education, and employment assistance, as well as mental health counseling.

Help Veterans This Holiday Season With Veterans Place!

Help us in our mission to end veteran homelessness in the Pittsburgh region by donating today! You can visit our Amazon wishlist here or make a direct monetary donation here. Your generous donation will directly impact the lives of our veterans and help us further our mission of ending homelessness among veterans.

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Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard

Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard provides supportive services for veterans experiencing housing instability, recovery challenges, and barriers to long-term stability. Through housing support, outreach, case management, recovery services, and community-based resources, the organization works closely with veterans to help them access the care, structure, and support they need to move forward.

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