Overall homelessness in the Commonwealth has declined 22.6 percent from 2010 to 2014 with more than a 25 percent decrease in family homelessness in the same period. However, homelessness continues to directly affect thousands of Virginians annually. According to the annual 2014 point-in-time count (*1) conducted by localities statewide, at least 7,020 individuals were homeless during a 24-hour snapshot in January 2014. Four to five times that number (28,080 - 35,100 individuals annually) may actually experience homelessness at some point during the year, according to national homeless studies. Many of these persons have special needs based on situations ranging from physical or mental disabilities to chronic substance abuse. Of the total homeless population, many are also victims of other circumstances such as job loss or domestic violence.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) directly addresses the problems associated with homelessness by administering several core programs that provide financial support to local governments and nonprofit providers of housing and supportive services to the homeless. During the 2013-14 program year DHCD administered the following:

• Child Care for Homeless Children Program (CCHCP)

• A $300,000 block grant to provide child care for homeless children
• 122 children received child care through the program

• Child Services Coordination Grant (CSCG)

• $330,453 in state general funds to coordinate health, mental health, and educational services for children in homeless services programs
• 11 nonprofit organizations received funding to train and compensate child services coordination staff

• Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

• $2,391,982 in federal funds through the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• ESG served approximately 5,982 individuals through its assistance services
• Funding served 3,333 individuals in shelters, 1,474 in rapid rehousing, and provided financial assistance to avert homelessness for an additional 1,175 program participants

• Homeless Solutions Grant (HSG)

• $7,301,820 in state general funds to the Homeless Solutions Grant (HSG), which includes $500,000 allocated for activities specific to rapid re-housing
• HSG served 14,830 persons through shelter and 4,862 through rapid re-housing

• Homeless Prevention Program (HPP)

• $4,650,000 million in state general funds
• 4,871 individuals (1,823 households) received financial assistance to prevent homelessness

• Housing Opportunities to Persons with AIDS/HIV (HOPWA)

• $696,043 in federal funds through HUD
• Funding was distributed through seven project sponsors across the state to serve 253 individuals (253 households) with HIV/AIDS through housing subsidy assistance
• 424 households received supportive services, including case management, transportation, and food assistance

This report serves as a means to report overall conditions and progress made related to the administration of the State’s homelessness programs in compliance with Budget Item 103 C of Virginia Acts of Assembly, 2014 Special Session 1, Chapter 2.

"The Department shall report to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance, the House Appropriations Committees, and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget by November 4 of each year on the state's homeless programs, including, but not limited to, the number of (i) emergency shelter beds, (ii) transitional housing units, (iii) single room occupancy dwellings, and (iv) homeless intervention programs supported by state funding on a locality and statewide basis. The report shall also include the number of Virginians served by these programs, the costs of the programs, and the financial and in-kind support provided by localities and nonprofit groups in these programs. In preparing the report, the Department shall consult with localities and community-based groups."
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(*1) Point-in-Time 2014 preliminary report