For veterans

Resources for homeless veterans

If you served and are sleeping rough, on a friend's couch, or about to be — the VA and its partners can move quickly. Here's where to start.

About 35,000 US veterans experience homelessness on any given night — down from over 75,000 in 2009. That reduction is the largest sustained drop in any homeless subpopulation in modern history. It happened because the VA adopted Housing First and funded the HUD-VASH voucher program. If you're a veteran, you may qualify for VA programs that move much faster than the civilian system.

Crisis lines and quick contacts

Veterans Crisis Line (US)

988

Dial 988, then press 1. Free, 24/7. Or text 838255.

National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (US)

1-877-424-3838

Free, 24/7. Direct VA-to-veteran line for housing and benefits.

VETS Canada

1-888-228-3871

Volunteer-run emergency assistance, outreach, and rehousing for Canadian veterans.

Find veterans-specific resources near you

Showing 27 resources that specifically serve veterans. Type your city or share your location to rank them by distance.

Within:

Top cities for veterans resources

National & regional charities

Effective organizations for donating, volunteering, or finding help. We don't take a cut — every link goes directly to the charity.

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (US)

Umbrella organization. Lobbies for HUD-VASH funding and coordinates local providers.

Visit nchv.org ↗

Veterans Inc.

One of the largest providers of veteran-specific housing and employment in the country.

Visit veteransinc.org ↗

VETS Canada

Emergency support and rehousing for homeless Canadian veterans.

Visit vetscanada.org ↗

Operation Dignity (East Bay)

Veteran-led East Bay services provider — transitional and permanent housing.

Visit operationdignity.org ↗

What to know

• Ask about HUD-VASH (US). It's a HUD rental voucher paired with VA case management — the most effective housing program for veterans, with multi-year retention rates over 80%.
• DD-214 is the key document. If you don't have it, the National Personnel Records Center can replace it (free) at archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records.
• Less-than-honorable discharges still qualify for many homeless-specific programs. Don't assume you're not eligible — call the VA hotline and ask.
• VA Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) provides emergency cash assistance for security deposits, utility arrears, and back rent — often within days.