As we wrap up the month of November, I’d like to share a few exciting things that have happened here at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), as well as challenges we are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Veterans Day I was part of an event in which Governor Tim Walz, a 24-year Veteran of the National Guard, announced that five suburban metro area counties have received federal designation for ending Veteran homelessness. The designation, given to the Suburban Metro Area Continuum of Care (SMAC), includes Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Scott, and Washington counties. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determined that the five counties served by SMAC have effectively ended homelessness among Veterans, becoming the sixth of 10 jurisdictions in the state of Minnesota to do so.

“Becoming the fourth state in the country to end Veteran homelessness has been a priority of our Administration since day one. Today’s announcement, on a day we honor all Veterans, is a major accomplishment toward that goal,” said Governor Walz. “Minnesota Veterans have served and sacrificed to protect the freedoms we all enjoy. Once they complete their service, we should ensure they have a safe place to call home.”

This announcement demonstrates that ending Veteran homelessness is achievable when there is a plan and strong partnerships. Together we can change lives and bring our Veterans ‘all the way home.’

This progress is the direct result of joint efforts across the state. SMAC is comprised of a broad coalition of stakeholders, including:

• The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA)
• Minnesota Housing
• The Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH)
• Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV)
• County Veterans Service Officers
• Emergency shelters and several private, public, and non-profit organizations.

Prior to COVID-19, there were 245 Veterans, statewide, on the /mdva/resources/homelessnessandprevention/homelessveteranregistry.jspHomeless Veteran Registry. As of today, there are 312 Veterans on the registry. There are several factors and variables that have contributed to this rise since the start of the pandemic. We have the partners (50-plus), the staff needed, the tool to track Veterans and a proven process. Now all we need is the funding we are seeking for state vouchers to serve Veterans who are not eligible to receive services through the VA Healthcare system. Without such funding, locating and aiding our state’s most vulnerable Veterans in order to end Veteran homelessness will remain increasingly challenging. The time to act is now.

Anyone who knows of a Veteran experiencing homelessness can connect them with services by calling 1-888-LinkVet (546-5838) or visiting our website at MinnesotaVeteran.org.

Thank YOU for your service!