NCHV CEO Kathryn Monet Testifies Before Congress on Veteran Homelessness
On March 4, 2025, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) CEO Kathryn Monet testified before the United States Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Veterans’ Affairs. Her presentation highlighted the progress made in reducing veteran homelessness, the challenges that remain, and the legislative and funding priorities necessary to continue this vital work.
Progress in Addressing Veteran Homelessness
During her testimony, Kathryn Monet emphasized the historic progress made in reducing veteran homelessness, with numbers dropping to their lowest recorded levels—32,882 veterans experiencing homelessness on a given night, including 12,724 unsheltered veterans. She credited this success to a strong network of federal, state, and local partnerships implementing housing-focused strategies, including emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing.
Despite this progress, Monet refuted claims that investments in veteran homelessness programs have not yielded results. She underscored that veterans remain the only subpopulation experiencing homelessness that has seen a decline both in the past year and over the long term.
Key Legislative Priorities
Monet called on Congress to ensure that critical programs receive the necessary funding and policy support to sustain and expand their impact. Among her key recommendations:
- Increasing HUD-VASH Utilization: Ensuring that all 111,000 available housing choice vouchers are used effectively, addressing barriers such as case management shortages and a lack of affordable housing stock.
- Expanding Access to Homeless Programs: Advocating for changes that would allow veterans with other-than-honorable discharges, as well as National Guard and Reserve members, to access critical VA homeless programs.
- Enhancing Services for Aging Veterans: Addressing the unique challenges faced by the growing population of older veterans, particularly those experiencing homelessness.
- Creating a Voucher Program for Extremely Low-Income Veterans: Supporting the development of a dedicated housing voucher program for veterans who are struggling in the face of a national affordable housing crisis.
Urging Congressional Action
Monet also emphasized the need for increased appropriations to fund vital programs, including:
- Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV): A $45 million increase to expand targeted and transitional housing capacity and outreach efforts.
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF): A $25 million increase to $800 million to sustain homelessness prevention initiatives.
- Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program: A $43 million increase to modernize transitional housing and implement the DOLE Act’s provisions.
- HUD-VASH Case Management: A $35 million increase to improve service quality and increase voucher utilization.
- Additional Housing Assistance: $100 million in new HUD-VASH incremental funding to help veterans transition into permanent housing, including increased project-based vouchers and support for Tribal HUD-VASH.
Watch the Full Testimony
Kathryn Monet’s testimony underscores the critical role that congressional action plays in ensuring every veteran has a safe, stable place to call home. Watch the full testimony here
For those interested in reading the full text of her testimony, you can find it here: Legislative Presentation
At NCHV, we remain committed to working alongside lawmakers, service providers, and advocates to ensure that no veteran is left without a home. Join us in our mission by staying informed and advocating for policies that prioritize veterans experiencing homelessness. #UntilNoVeteranIsHomeless #NCHV