Gov. Mikie Sherrill, joined by state housing and military officials at the Trenton War Memorial on Wednesday, announced a landmark milestone: through the Bringing Veterans Home initiative, New Jersey has established a coordinated support system that fully funds housing resources to ensure veteran homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.
The state’s proactive framework has successfully inverted historical trends, with more veterans entering stable housing each month than falling into homelessness.
“I am incredibly honored to announce that, because of the quick and effective response of our Bringing Veterans Home initiative, every veteran in New Jersey can now access stable housing,” Sherrill said. “This milestone is a groundbreaking achievement. No veteran in our state should endure the hardship of homelessness.”
Launched in November 2024 with a mission to effectively end veteran homelessness, the initiative has committed more than $30 million in state and federal funds over a two-year period. Since its inception, the program has permanently housed more than 2,500 veterans, encompassing active duty and reserve components alike.
The multi-agency effort is led by the Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Office of Homelessness Prevention in close coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), federal partners at HUD and the VA, and—for the first time—formalized partnerships with veteran service organizations across New Jersey.
“In a state where our motto is Liberty and Prosperity, no veteran should go to sleep without a roof over their head,” DVA Commissioner Vincent Solomeno III, said. “Bringing Veterans Home demonstrates what is possible when government stops asking people in crisis to navigate bureaucratic boundaries and instead organizes itself around the outcome we want to achieve.”
To streamline service and eliminate bureaucratic roadblocks, the state has established six regional coordination hubs managed by specialized social services organizations. These hubs leverage a robust suite of state and federal funding streams, including:
- VASH (Veterans Affairs Supported Housing) vouchers
- SRAP (State Rental Assistance Program) vouchers
- HOME program assistance
- SSVF (Supportive Services for Veterans and Families) programs
- Rapid rehousing, emergency sheltering, and street outreach
The program enforces strict accountability standards: referred veterans must be contacted within 24 hours, with an operational goal of securing stable housing within 30 days of initial contact.
Access and community support
Referrals to the Bringing Veterans Home initiative are accessible through multiple channels:
- Online: Submit referrals or self-refer via the official web page at bvh.dca.nj.gov.
- By Phone: Contact NJ Vet2Vet or NJ 211.
- Directly: Engage with street outreach teams, local housing providers, or submit electronic referrals via the NJ Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) or DCA’s SimpliGov platform.
