Impact of Community Investment in Safety Net Services on Rates of Unsheltered Homelessness Among Veterans

Authors

Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, University of Alabama at BirminghamFollow
Jamison Fargo, Utah State UniversityFollow
Thomas H. Byrne, Boston UniversityFollow

Keywords

Homeless, veterans, safety net, unsheltered, community-level

Abstract

Unsheltered homelessness among veterans has declined rapidly since 2009; however, more than one-third of veterans experiencing homelessness stayed in places not meant for human habitation during 2014. Research has identified a negative relationship between federal spending on the social safety net and community level rates of homelessness, but not specifically for veterans. The present study assessed whether investment in veteran-specific safety net resources predicted changes in the rate of unsheltered veteran homelessness. Increases in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care expenditures were significantly associated with a decline in unsheltered veteran homelessness, perhaps explained by additional VA resources aimed at identifying and housing these veterans.

Recommended Citation

Montgomery, Ann Elizabeth; Fargo, Jamison; and Byrne, Thomas H. (2015) "Impact of Community Investment in Safety Net Services on Rates of Unsheltered Homelessness Among Veterans," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 42: Iss. 4, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3935
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol42/iss4/3