The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) recognizes that a large number of people experiencing homelessness, including many homeless veterans, are trapped in homeless situations for long periods of time.  We further recognize that the confluence of poor health and disability and the absence of adequate supplies of housing, health care and other supportive services, and income supports prolongs the homeless spells of many people experiencing homelessness.  As such, NCHV supports the well-intentioned efforts at all levels of government and the nonprofit and private sectors to expand housing and services opportunities for persons with disabling conditions who are homeless for long periods of time.

At the same time, the homeless veteran population includes persons who experience homelessness for temporary, episodic and chronic periods.  As NCHV is committed to preventing and ending homelessness among ALL veterans, we prefer public policy approaches that address the housing, health care and supportive services, and income support needs of all homeless people, regardless of their duration of homeless spell or disabling condition, to incremental approaches.

There is more in common among people experiencing homelessness than there are differences between this population’s countless subgroups.  All people experiencing homelessness, no matter the length of their homeless spell or their health status, are at increased risk for illnesses, acts of violence, family and community alienation, and physical and emotional trauma associated with the homeless condition.  That some homeless people are “less disabled” or in homeless situations for lesser periods of time than other people experiencing homelessness makes their situations no less tragic.

Accordingly, NCHV urges public officials at all levels and in all branches of government to enact holistic public policies that address homelessness among all people.  Doing so is the more just response to the tragedy of homelessness among our nation’s veterans, and among all Americans.

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