WASHINGTON, D.C., October 22, 2026 – Leaders from across housing, healthcare, government, philanthropy, finance, and the nonprofit sector gathered today in Washington, D.C., to examine persistent challenges facing veterans and identify practical solutions to strengthen housing stability and prevent and end veteran homelessness.
Hosted by The Home Depot Foundation and the National Housing Conference (NHC), “From Insight to Impact: Advancing Solutions in Veterans Housing,” brought together stakeholders from across the country at the National Press Club to discuss what is working, where gaps remain, and how successful approaches can be expanded to help more veterans achieve long-term housing stability.
The convening focused on some of the most pressing issues affecting veteran housing, including data-driven strategies and successful programs from communities across the country; the growing housing, healthcare and supportive service needs of aging veterans; innovative approaches to financing veteran housing; and opportunities for stronger collaboration across sectors. Veterans with lived experience also shared their perspectives on housing instability and the policies, programs, and services that can help veterans achieve long-term stability.
During her opening remarks, Erin Izen, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation, announced the organization’s expanded commitment to veterans, pledging to invest $1 billion in veteran causes by 2032.
“No single organization can solve veteran housing challenges or end veteran homelessness alone. It takes committed partners, shared learning and a willingness to collaborate across sectors to create lasting solutions,” said Izen. “Our increased commitment will ensure nonprofit partners expand proven solutions, test new innovative approaches and ultimately connect more veterans with the safe, stable housing they deserve.”
“We have proven models for ending veteran homelessness, but success in one community is too often undermined by fragmentation in another,” said David M. Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference. “The challenge now is to connect the dots—strengthening coordination across housing, healthcare, and supportive services, bringing new partners to the table, and ensuring veterans themselves are part of the conversation. We must turn these proven approaches into a single, seamless system that leaves no veteran behind.”
A key focus of the convening was the changing needs of an aging veteran population. Participants discussed how communities can better align housing with healthcare and supportive services, including ways to address gaps between permanent supportive housing and long-term care and develop models that provide older veterans with greater stability as their needs evolve.
The discussion also highlighted lessons from programs and communities that have improved housing outcomes for veterans. Participants explored how data, outreach, and coordinated services can strengthen local responses to veteran homelessness and how successful approaches can be replicated and scaled in communities across the country.
“We have reduced veteran homelessness by half since 2009, and we know what solutions have helped us get there,” said Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “But today’s veterans living at the edge face strong headwinds from a tough job market, a lack of affordable housing, and a shrinking social safety net. Bringing together practitioners, partners and veterans with lived experience helps ensure that the solutions we pursue will offer lasting housing stability for veterans and their families.”
Participants also explored new approaches to financing and funding veteran housing, including how philanthropy, financial institutions and service organizations can use flexible funding, innovative program models and cross-sector partnerships to respond more effectively to needs on the ground.
“After experiencing more than three years of homelessness, I know firsthand how life-changing the right housing and support can be,” said Benjamin Jeffrey, a U.S. Navy veteran and President of the Mobilizing America’s Commitment to Veterans (MACV) Foundation. “Today, I use that perspective to help provide housing and support systems that truly meet veterans where they are. Veterans with lived experience have an important role to play in shaping solutions that help others find and maintain stable housing.”
Throughout the convening, discussions emphasized the importance of connecting successful local strategies with broader efforts to strengthen veteran housing stability and ensuring that veterans’ lived experiences remain central to the development of policies, programs, and services.
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About The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation, a nonprofit supported by The Home Depot (NYSE: HD), works to improve the homes and lives of U.S. veterans, support communities impacted by natural disasters and train skilled tradespeople to fill the labor gap. Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $650 million in veteran causes and improved more than 70,000 veteran homes and facilities. The Foundation has pledged to invest $1 billion in veteran causes, and, alongside The Home Depot, create 15 million opportunities to explore skilled trades careers through the Path to Pro program by 2032. To date, the Foundation has surpassed $1 billion in total charitable giving. To learn more about The Home Depot Foundation visit HomeDepotFoundation.org and follow us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @HomeDepotFound, and on Facebook and Instagram @HomeDepotFoundation.
About the National Housing Conference
Founded in 1931, the National Housing Conference is the oldest and broadest housing coalition in America. NHC is a diverse continuum of affordable housing stakeholders who convene and collaborate through dialogue, advocacy, research, and education, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest—an America where everyone is able to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community. Politically diverse and nonpartisan, NHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about NHC, visit www.nhc.org.