Who are homeless Veterans?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 11% of the adult homeless population are veterans. Roughly 45% of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population, respectively. Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population. Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50. Conversely, only 5% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 30, and less than 23% are between 31 and 50.
America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.
About 1.4 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing. Approximately 12,700 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) were homeless in 2010. The number of young homeless veterans is increasing, but only constitutes 8.8% of the overall homeless veteran population.
Veterans Aid PAC Inc. supports bipartisan candidates that support pro-active legislation that supports our homeless Veterans like H.R. 95 in addition to other bills listed below. Please help our Veterans get off the streets; they deserve better after serving our Country. Freedom is not free.
Rep. Julia Brownley
Key Legislation this Candidate Endorses
H.R. 95 Homeless Veteran Families Act
H.R. 2223 Helping Homeless Veterans Act of 2019
H.R. 4515 Veterans Affairs Protection Act of 2019
H.R. 592 Protect Veterans from Financial Fraud Act of 2019
H.R. 840 Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act
Rep. Gus Bilirakis
Key Legislation this Candidate Endorses
H.R. 95 Homeless Veteran Families Act
H.R. 2228 VET CARE Act of 2019
H.R. 3335 Pups for Patriots Act of 2017
H.R. 4085 Student Veteran Empowerment Act of 2019
H.R. 3504 Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019
Rep. Scott Peters
Key Legislation this Candidate Endorses
H.R. 95 Homeless Veteran Families Act
H.R. 7022 Homes for Our Heroes Act of 2018
H.R. 5830 Veteran PEER Act
H.R. 2813 Shelter Our Servicemembers Act
H.R. 840 Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act