Homeless help
If you’re a Veteran who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help you find safe shelter, support, and long-term housing. Keep reading on this page to find out how to get the support you need.
If you’re a landlord, business owner, or community partner, the partner resources you need are in a different location: Resources for landlords, business owners, and community partners
Contact us
For Veterans
Your best first step is to call us or chat with us online. This call—or chat—is confidential.
Contact us now in either of these ways:
- Call us at
(we’re available 24/7), or - Chat with us
When you contact us, you’ll connect with a trained counselor who will ask you some questions about your situation, identify urgent needs, and connect you to the right support quickly.
Our VA homeless program staff will help you find the right resources in your community to address your individual needs. You don’t have to figure it out on your own.
Note: VA homeless services aren’t walk-in services. Staff at VA facilities may not be able to help you find the right resources, so we encourage you to call us or chat with us instead.
For a family member, friend, or neighbor who wants to connect a Veteran to support
If you’re concerned about a Veteran’s housing situation, you can call or chat with us to learn what support is available. You don’t need to know the Veteran’s military details or confirm eligibility before you contact us.
Contact us now in either of these ways:
- Call us at
(we’re available 24/7), or - Chat with us
We can help you understand the signs of housing instability and how to connect the Veteran to immediate and long-term support.
How we help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
The support you’ll get is based on your individual housing needs. You don’t need to know which program is right for you. We’ll figure that out together.
If you still have housing or are staying with friends or family
We can help you stabilize your housing and reduce the risk of becoming homeless.
Here are some of the ways we’ll help:
- Short-term financial help to prevent your homelessness
- Help talking with landlords
- Case management to help you navigate VA and other resources
- Support for health, mental health, substance use, or employment that may affect housing stability
- Referrals to other community resources
VA programs and offices that provide this support include:
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
- Homeless Veterans Community Employment Services (HVCES)
- Veteran Health Administration Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VHA VR) commonly referred to as Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program
You can ask about help to stay housed or prevent homelessness.
If you’re about to lose your housing
We can help you take immediate steps to avoid becoming homeless.
Here are some of the ways we’ll help:
- Short-term financial help to prevent your homelessness
- Help talking with landlords
- Case management to help you navigate VA and other resources
- Support for health, mental health, substance use, or employment that may affect housing stability
This support focuses on addressing urgent housing issues before you lose your housing.
VA programs and offices that provide this support include:
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
- Homeless Veterans Community Employment Services (HVCES)
- Veteran Health Administration Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VHA VR) commonly referred to as Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program
You can ask about help to prevent eviction or address an urgent housing issue.
If you’re homeless now
We can help you access services that support your immediate needs.
Here are some of the ways we’ll help:
- Finding safe, short-term housing
- Learning about emergency shelter options
- Getting an ID or necessary documents
- Enrolling in and accessing health, mental health, substance-use, and employment support
- Getting case management and enrolling in programs for long-term affordable housing
VA programs and offices that provide this support include:
- Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
- Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)
- Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) and Contracted Residential Services (CRS)
- Homeless Veterans Community Employment Services (HVCES)
- Veteran Health Administration Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VHA VR) commonly referred to as Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program
You can ask about emergency shelter or temporary housing options.
If you’re leaving jail or prison
We can help you safely return to the community by coordinating re-entry support and housing options.
Here are some of the ways we’ll help:
- Planning for re-entry
- Identifying where you can stay
- Connecting you to health and mental health care
- Coordinating services with community partners
This support can start before your release, depending on your location and situation.
VA programs and offices that provide this support include:
- Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO)
- Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (HCRV)
You can ask about re-entry support or help with housing after release.
If you need mental health or substance-use support
We can help you access care that supports your health, recovery, and housing stability.
Here are some of the ways we’ll help:
- Mental health services
- Substance-use treatment
- Residential or inpatient recovery programs
- Ongoing support linked to your housing plan
This support focuses on improving access to care that can support housing stability.
VA programs and offices that provide this support include:
- Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
- Homeless Patient Aligned Care Teams (HPACTs)
You can ask about health care support and treatment that support housing stability.
If you’re looking for long-term housing
We can help you explore long-term housing options and stay connected to support as you transition.
Here are some of the ways we’ll help:
- Supportive housing connections
- Local landlord partnerships
- Short- and long-term rental assistance
- Enrolling in and accessing health, mental health, substance-use, and employment support
- Case management to help you plan next steps
- Ongoing follow-up to support housing stability
VA programs and offices that provide this support include:
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
- Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH)
You can ask about long-term or permanent housing options.
What to expect when you contact us
A counselor will ask a few questions so they can understand your situation and connect you to the right support.
The counselor will ask questions like these:
- Where are you staying now?
- Do you have a safe place to stay tonight?
- Are you at risk of losing your housing?
- Do you have any immediate health or safety concerns?
Then you’ll work together to identify next steps and local resources.
In some communities, VA may connect you to in-person support through Community Resource and Referral Centers (CRRCs). These centers help connect Veterans to housing support, health care, and other resources in one place. Availability varies by location, and calling first helps ensure you’re connected to the right support.