A new report on homelessness in New Hampshire provides a mixed bag of both good news and bad.
On the bright side, the state’s overall homeless population has decreased by 3 percent, from 1,685 in 2013 to 1,635 in 2014, according to a report from the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness. The overall decrease started in 2011 thanks to the collective work of agencies, policymakers and others, the Associated Press reports.
More specifically, the state’s population of homeless people in families decreased by 10 percent from 779 people in 2012 to 704 people in 2014. There also was a decrease of over 4 percent in homelessness among school-age children, the first time in several years. These are all significant achievements that will help ensure more stable families and communities, and provide more children with a promising future.
However, more work remains to address other segments of the population that are still struggling. We were disappointed to learn that New Hampshire (going against a national trend) saw an increase in homelessness among veterans and chronic cases, including a 35 percent increase in the number of chronically homeless people in the state from 2012 to 2214.
“Chronic homelessness” is defined as an individual or family with at least one disabled adult who has been continuously homeless for over one year, or has experienced four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.
Obviously more resources are needed for our returning veterans who face many physical and psychological problems that make them more susceptible to chronic homelessness. It’s not enough just to provide low income housing.
“While significant federal investments have helped to house many veterans over the course of the past three years, adequately serving the flow of veterans returning from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan remains a challenge for many communities,” the report said.
Nationally, veteran homelessness has been reduced 33 percent since 2009, reports Stars and Stripes. However, there is still a long way to go before the U.S. reaches “functional zero” enough housing and treatment programs for all veterans who need them Congressmen and veteran service providers said in a hearing on Capitol Hill last week.
As the Veterans Administration has worked to end veteran homelessness, the main focus has been getting veterans off the streets, Stars and Stripes reports. But a significant number of homeless veterans have severe mental health, substance abuse or other issues and for them, housing without treatment is dangerous, Phil Landis, president and CEO of Veterans Village of San Diego, said at the hearing.
Landis said the “housing first” model is “an admirable and reasonable idea for many veterans,” but that treatment programs and transitional housing must remain available for those who need it.
Several veterans who were placed in HUD-Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing too soon have relapsed and gone to prison, Landis said. And one 27-year-old veteran who was doing well in a long-term residential treatment program was forced out after he received a 100 percent disability rating from the VA, putting him above the income cap.
About 25 percent of veterans may never get to the point where they can live balanced, self-sustaining lives in permanent housing without ongoing care, the advocates said.
Ending veteran homelessness “is not a moment, it’s a moving target,” Baylee Crone said, and as the number of veterans on the streets declines, organizations must be even more diligent to continue the momentum, prevent future homelessness and ensure that needs are met.
Government and private agencies in New Hampshire need to ensure that our veterans have all of the resources they need to address any physical, psychological or financial obstacles that lead to chronic homelessness. It’s the very least we can do for them after everything they’ve done for our country.
