AURORA, Colo. — More than 700 Colorado veterans were placed in permanent housing in 2023, the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (VA ECHCS) announced Friday.
In total, 752 Colorado veterans found permanent housing last year, surpassing VA ECHCS's goal of 704 veterans.
“Each Veteran among the 752 Veterans who now have secure housing represents someone who fought to defend our country and fell out of stable housing,” said Michael Moore, VA ECHCS interim medical center director, in a statement. “Homelessness is a complex issue, and we are grateful for our dedicated VA ECHCS Homeless Program staff and community partners who continue to tackle this important concern.”
In its announcement, VA ECHCS said it practices a Housing First approach, which prioritizes getting a veteran into housing and then helping them access health care and other support systems. The treatments and support services are wrapped around veterans as they obtain and maintain permanent housing, VA ECHCS explained.
“No Veteran should ever experience the tragedy and indignity of homelessness. More than 46,000 formerly homeless Veterans are going to sleep tonight in good, safe, stable homes — and there’s nothing more important than that,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough in a statement. “While this is an important step forward, we’re not stopping here — we’re going to keep pushing until every Veteran has a safe, stable place to call home in this country they fought to defend.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs set a goal to house 38,000 unhoused veterans nationally in 2023. In January, the department announced it had surpassed that goal and secured housing for 46,552 previously unhoused veterans last year.
Veterans who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk for homelessness can call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-383 or visit the VA Homeless Programs website.
