The Federal government is the largest funder of services and supports designed to end veteran homelessness. Join this session to hear about the priorities and upcoming shifts the new Administration is bringing to the programs that end veteran homelessness. Audience participation and questions are highly encouraged.

LGBTQ+ veterans experiencing homelessness have unique needs. Speakers in this session will share best practices for providing culturally-competent supportive services, shelter, and housing to address those needs.

Meaningful engagement of veterans with lived expertise in homelessness is an important way to ensure that the services your program offers are responsive to their needs. In this session, attendees will hear from the National Center for Homelessness Among Veterans about the way they are incorporating insights from a panel of veterans with lived expertise into their work. Attendees will also hear from panelists both about their experience on the panel and their experience navigating homelessness.

Finding decent, affordable, and stable housing can present different challenges by community. Several providers have overcome these challenges by trying less mainstream options, including, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), tiny homes and shared housing placements. This session will detail using alternative housing options to house veterans exiting homelessness.

Using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program for veteran affordable housing is both a challenge and opportunity. This session will cover ways to maximize the LIHTC program, overcome barriers specific to this population, and increase utilization.

Most of the support for affordable housing development comes from resources funded through the federal government. While these funds are not always tied to specific populations, developers should be accessing shares of these resources to provide housing for veterans. This session discusses how federal resources can be used to serve this population.

COVID-19 has shifted the way some communities feel about transitional housing. Several providers have considered de-congregating facilities, while other have decided to undergo redevelopment completely to instead provide permanent housing. Join us for a session where we will talk to providers about converting their Grant and Per Diem Facilities to Permanent Supportive Housing.

Aging veterans need different supports than other groups of veterans and often face gaps in services. Attendees at this session will learn about resources available from Offices of Aging and strategies that providers have used to bridge the gaps for veterans.

When it comes to commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our field, many have focused on external commitments related to equity in veteran-facing outcomes. However, it is important to walk the talk and embed equity into the fabric of your organization and its internal operations. This session features speakers sharing insights on how they looked at internal operations to improve their organizational commitment to racial equity.

We can’t end homelessness without addressing the inequities that lead to the overrepresentation of Black and Native veterans in the homeless population. Attendees in this workshop will hear from VA’s Homeless Programs Office and several organizations about the steps they are taking to improve their understanding of the populations being served. Speakers will also share what they are learning, and how they are using this information to identify targeted changes that can decrease gaps in veteran outcomes.

We can’t end homelessness without addressing the inequities that lead to the overrepresentation of Black and Native veterans in the homeless population. Attendees in this workshop will hear from VA’s Homeless Programs Office and several organizations about the steps they are taking to improve their understanding of the populations being served. Speakers will also share what they are learning, and how they are using this information to identify targeted changes that can decrease gaps in veteran outcomes.

Pairing housing support services with employment supports can lead to longer-term sustainability for housing placements. This session will focus on how best to integrate the services to offer holistic support to veterans as they exit homelessness.

Connecting veterans to mainstream assistance programs and supports is more important than ever as our country begins a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Panelists in this workshop will share information on SNAP, Unemployment, and other mainstream benefits and veterans benefits.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as many things as possible shifted to an online basis for safety. Healthcare is no exception. Learn from experts at VA’s National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans about best practices for virtual health delivery and how they can be incorporated into the services you provide to veterans.

We can’t care for others if we don’t care for ourselves and our teams. Being on the frontlines of serving a vulnerable population is challenging even on the best days. Creating support systems for staff is an important way to improve their ability to care for veterans. Learn from fellow organizations about their best practices in this workshop.

Throughout the pandemic, several communities converted hotels and motels to provide alternative non-congregate shelter options. As needs shift, many of the same communities are looking to convert these properties to permanent housing. This session explores the conversion process as part of COVID-19 community recovery. Attendees will hear from providers who have larger facilities, who have worked in their community to scale this type of housing, and who have mature programs.

Join us for a session on how local administrators are using COVID-19 recovery resources and legal strategy, to provide eviction and foreclosure prevention assistance and homelessness prevention. Speakers will highlight strategies communities can use to prevent eviction and keep people stably housed.