Washington, DC – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) and local housing service providers highlighted the encouraging results from this year’s Point-in-Time Count and the need for Congress to continue funding proven strategies that are making a difference to curb veteran homelessness in San Diego. The Point-in-Time Count revealed that veteran homelessness in San Diego County is down 25 percent.  

“No one who honorably served our nation should end up living on the street,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “The results of this year’s Point in Time Count show we are headed in the right direction, but we can’t continue to make progress toward reducing veteran homelessness, or homelessness among any population, if our local partners cannot count on support from the federal government. I urge my Republican colleagues to stand up for the investments and the federal jobs that are helping us get people off the street and into safe, stable housing.”  

Rep Peters brought service providers, case managers, and veterans who utilize these programs together to discuss San Diego's ongoing efforts to end veteran homelessness. They also discussed the harm that proposed funding and staffing cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would have on our communities.  

“San Diegans want to see continued progress in reducing homelessness,” said San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn. “One reason we have made progress is that Congressman Peters has brought funding home to San Diego to help end veteran homelessness. But continued progress depends on the federal government continuing to fund these programs.”

“Every veteran we house and help reintegrate into the community is a success story,” said Hanan Scrapper, PATH San Diego Regional Director. “With continued support, we can make veteran homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. Let’s not forget—these are more than statistics; they’re real people, real stories, and there are real threats to the progress we’ve made. With bipartisan commitment and sustained focus, we can not only end veteran homelessness, but we can also build a blueprint to end homelessness for all Americans.”

“We can trace that result to targeted federal funding, local collaboration, and housing options available to veterans,” Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH) CEO, Tamera Kohler said. “RTFH recently started producing monthly data reports focused entirely on veteran homelessness because it’s our goal to ensure every veteran has a place to call home. We can’t do that without federal funding. Washington plays a central role in this collaborative effort to reduce and ultimately end veteran homelessness. We must sustain and enhance this commitment for all who have served this country.”

“The Point-in-Time Count this year provided a glimpse of the positive results collaboration, coordination and commitment can produce in our community, but funding is key,” San Diego Housing Commission President and CEO Lisa Jones said. “We thank Congressman Peters for his leadership, advocacy and support of the federal funding that is crucial to continuing to advance comprehensive homelessness solutions.”  

“Thanks to PATH and my case managers, I’ve been able to stabilize my life and get back to work,” said William Applegate, a veteran and PATH program participant who struggled with homelessness after a divorce and challenges with his mental health. “In January, I moved into my own place thanks to my HUD-VASH voucher and all the support I was offered.”

Rep. Peters is working to bring down the cost of housing by cutting red tape so America can build more low- and middle-income housing faster. He has also authored legislation that is now law to expand the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, (HUD-VASH) program and legislation to ensure non-profits can directly administer homelessness assistance grants to those who need it. Last year, the House of Representatives adopted a bipartisan amendment led by Rep. Peters encouraging local VA systems and public housing authorities to work together to streamline the HUD-VASH voucher application process in order to reduce barriers for veterans seeking housing assistance.

Rep. Peters fought back and stopped the Trump Administration from cutting housing vouchers for homeless veterans in 2018. He will push back once again if President Trump and Republicans’ actions threaten to roll back hard-fought progress to house our nation’s heroes.    

A livestreamed recording of the press conference can be found here.

Additional photos from the event are available courtesy of Rep. Peters’ office here.

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