Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced today that more than 1,000 veterans have secured permanent housing through the "House Our Vets" initiative, marking a significant achievement in the city's efforts to end veteran homelessness.
Launched by the Bass administration in early 2025, House Our Vets was established to expedite housing placements for unhoused veterans by uniting city, federal, and nonprofit partners. The initiative's mission is to ensure that those who served the country have a safe and stable home, a goal further supported by a new affordable housing complex north of Downtown Los Angeles, which provides over 370 homes and resulted from Mayor Bass's first executive directive.
"I made a promise to this city that we would do everything in our power to bring unhoused Angelenos indoors," said Mayor Bass. "Today, more than 1,000 veterans and their families have secured housing through the House Our Vets initiative." She highlighted the story of Army veteran Kevina Mitchell, who, after years of housing instability, received keys to her new home at the event.
The House Our Vets initiative, a partnership between the Mayor's Office, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), and VA of Greater Los Angeles, has demonstrated remarkable success, with 97 percent of participants remaining stably housed. HACLA President & CEO Lourdes Castro Ramírez said, "This milestone shows what’s possible when compassion guides our actions, barriers are removed, and federal and local resources are strategically aligned," also noting HUD's award of $700,000 to HACLA for the mission.
Gennifer Yoshimaru, Executive Director of Village for Vets, emphasized the collaborative spirit, saying, "This 1,000-veteran milestone through the House Our Vets initiative is proof of what we can achieve when the City, federal partners, and community organizations unite." She added that the solution depends on removing barriers and connecting veterans to vital services.
To date, the initiative has helped 1,094 veterans and their families move into permanent housing, contributing to Los Angeles's unprecedented two consecutive years of declines in homelessness. Street homelessness in the city has fallen by nearly 18 percent under Mayor Bass's leadership, contrasting with a rise nationwide.