Statement from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) on the 2024 PIT Count
The recently released 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count data underscores a complex reality for homelessness in America. While we are encouraged by the 7.6% decrease in veteran homelessness compared to January 2023—a decline that brings the total number of veterans experiencing homelessness to 32,882—it’s clear the broader picture of homelessness in our country remains deeply concerning.
Veteran homelessness has declined by 55.2% since 2009, a testament to the effectiveness of targeted investments, innovative housing solutions, robust partnerships across sectors, and important work spearheaded by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. This progress demonstrates that with focused government leadership and community collaboration, homelessness is a solvable problem. The solutions that have driven these successes for veterans can and should be a model for addressing homelessness across all populations.
Yet, the broader trends in the PIT Count remind us that systemic challenges persist. The rising cost of housing, wages that fail to keep pace with inflation, and the growing inequities in our economy have left too many people unable to afford a place to live. Across the country, veterans and others—many of whom are working multiple jobs—are being forced into homelessness because the cost of rent has skyrocketed while incomes remain stagnant.
This crisis is hitting Black, Indigenous, and Brown communities hardest, as systemic discrimination and unequal access to opportunities have compounded the challenges they face. The PIT Count is about more than data. Every number represents a real person—someone’s sibling, child, parent, or neighbor—struggling to survive in a system that too often fails them. It is unacceptable that in a country as wealthy as ours, so many are forced to live in places not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, or sidewalks – and in many locations — are punished for it.
The progress we’ve seen in reducing veteran homelessness proves that solutions are within reach. When government agencies, healthcare systems, community organizations, and private sector partners come together with a shared commitment, we can create lasting change. At NCHV, we believe the strategies that are working for veterans can work for everyone. But this requires bold action, sustained investment, and the political will to ensure that every person has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing and the services they desire to address underlying issues.
The PIT Count is a wake-up call: we can solve homelessness, but only if we commit to addressing the root causes of housing instability, creating more affordable housing, providing adequate supports and services, and building an economy that works for all of us—not just the wealthy few.
Click here to read the 2024 HUD Annual Homelessness report.