Earlier this month, HUD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs, Ann Oliva, shared What It Means to End Veteran Homelessness. HUD is committed to helping all Continuums of Care (CoCs) reach the goal established in Opening Doors of ending veteran homelessness by December 31, 2015, and has developed four new toolkits aimed to help CoCs and homeless services providers working with veterans implement strategies that will assist them in this mission. These new resources are now available on the HUD Exchange and were developed as part of the Vets@Home technical assistance effort.
View the Toolkits:
Toolkit Descriptions:
The toolkits include identification of best practices, key strategies, action items, and considerations for CoCs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) partners, and local public officials that can be implemented immediately to focus efforts on ending homelessness for veterans. Each toolkit includes a section for mayors and elected officials with methods and action steps that can be employed to end veteran homelessness. Each toolkit also has a complete list of resources, documents, and links to key websites highlighting best practices regarding all four toolkit topics.
- The Identifying and Engaging Veterans Experiencing Homelessness Toolkit provides information for CoC stakeholders, practitioners, and public officials on the use of data and analytics, as well as outreach tactics to locate and engage veterans who may be homeless. The toolkit also includes information on the creation of a By-Name list and utilization of coordinated entry in an effective crisis response and referral system. Key strategies to collaborate across systems and teams are detailed, along with ways that communities can sustain the effort with flexible systems.
- The Effective Homeless Crisis Response Systems for Veterans Toolkit provides information for CoC stakeholders, practitioners, and public officials concerning concepts and practices central to an effective homeless crisis response system for veterans. Key components, strategies, and related resources to strengthen homeless crisis response systems are reviewed.
- The Connecting to Permanent Housing Toolkit helps CoC stakeholders, practitioners, and public officials to broaden and strengthen their connections and access to safe, decent, and affordable permanent housing for veterans experiencing homelessness. The toolkit includes key features and strategies to develop and maintain housing partnerships to expedite veterans in finding housing. These include private market and landlord engagement strategies, special considerations for VA and non-VA mainstream housing programs, and resources for rural and high cost/low vacancy communities. The toolkit also includes considerations for public officials involved in local efforts toward ending homelessness among veterans.
- The Housing Stability Toolkit provides information for CoC stakeholders, practitioners, and public officials concerning the concept of housing stability and related practices. Key strategies, action steps, and related resources that support housing stability among veterans are reviewed, including services and resources that increase veteran income.
Additional resources can be found on the Resources for Homeless Veterans and Homeless Veteran Service Providers page.
