Summit On Ending Veteran Homelessness

During the HUD-VASH Homeless Summit participating partners worked on specifically identified impediments and then later reported back to the general body on solutions to the impediments that were identified by their group.

HUD Birmingham partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the City of Birmingham to convene a Homeless Summit aimed at addressing impediments to getting chronically homeless veterans housed under the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program.

The highlight of the day was the testimony of a formerly homeless veteran who had been helped by the HUD-VASH program, to not only get off the streets, but to get back with his family. Leonard Jackson and his wife Renata Jackson gave personal testimony about the horrors of being a homeless family, the frustration that came with feeling like you had done something meaningful for your country that seemed unappreciated, and finally the joy of having his life come back together because of the help his family received through the HUD-VASH Program. Jackson spoke from his heart, and his testimony reminded everyone in the room why they were there in the first place.

The testimony of former homeless veteran Leonard Jackson and his wife Renata was one of the most moving moments in a very inspirational day. Jackson spoke of being so frustrated at one point that he just went out to live in the woods. He said that the HUD-VASH Program saved his life.

In total, more than a hundred persons affiliated with state and local partnering agencies attended the Summit held in March. The event began with presentations that addressed the causes of homelessness among veterans, psychological disorders impacting veterans, and background information on the progress of HUD-VASH implementation statewide. However, the majority of the day was spent with partners working in small groups on identified impediments and seeking solutions to improve performance. The ideas developed and submitted by the working groups were insightful and will be used as we continue efforts to improve program performance.

Permanent supportive housing assistance is provided through the HUD-VASH Program, a program administered by HUD, VA, and local housing authorities across the country. The program combines HUD Housing Choice Vouchers rental assistance for homeless Veterans with case management and clinical services provided by VA. The purpose of the HUD/VA Homeless Summit for Veterans was to bring together all of the partners involved in the effort to evaluate known potential impediments to the program’s success which were obtained from a survey of veteran participants, Public Housing Authorities and VA staff and to explore solutions to reduce or eliminate these impediments.

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