(NEW ORLEANS) – New Orleans was recognized by the National Alliance to End Homelessness for its efforts in reducing the number of veterans experiencing homelessness by 62 percent in the last three years.
Since 2011, more than 300 veterans have been sheltered in New Orleans. This recognition is part of the Alliance’s new ongoing educational initiative called Never Another Homeless Veteran campaign spotlighting communities like New Orleans that have taken advantage of new resources and new strategies like rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing to ensure that homeless veterans are housed.
“It is thanks to cities like New Orleans that have implemented innovative homeless assistance programs for veterans that we have achieved an historic 33 percent decline in veteran homelessness,” said National Alliance to End Homelessness President and CEO Nan Roman. “They are showing what we can accomplish when we have the resources and the determination to change lives for the better.”
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonprofit, non-partisan, organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. As a leading voice on the issue of homelessness, the Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions; works collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity; and provides data and research to policymakers and elected officials in order to inform policy debates and educate the public and opinion leaders nationwide.
According to numbers released last week by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of people experiencing homelessness on a given night has declined by 11 percent nationwide since 2007. During the January 2014 Point-in-Time Count, volunteers counted 578,424 people experiencing homeless. Of those, 49,933 were veterans, a decline of 11 percent since 2013.
“Veteran homelessness is an issue that we are all too familiar with, and in New Orleans we are taking this challenge head on,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. “Our veterans have served our great nation courageously and it’s our turn to do our part and support these brave men and women. On Independence Day this year, we accepted First Lady Michelle Obama’s Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness and be the first major city in the United States to end homelessness among veterans by the end of this year. Through enhanced coordination of the New Orleans Interagency Council on Homelessness and the generous support of the over 60 service providers that make up our Continuum of Care, we are well on our way. I want to thank the National Alliance to End Homelessness for this recognition as we continue to serve our warriors and help them find homes.”
