Overview
In February of 2020, Lynchburg became the 12th community in the United States to end veteran homelessness as a part of Built for Zero, a movement of more than 80 cities and counties in the U.S. committed to measurably ending homelessness, one population at a time.
By reaching functional zero for veteran homelessness, the community has proven it has built a system that can ensure homelessness is rare and brief, even if new veterans experience housing crises over time. This means that the Lynchburg community has fewer veterans experiencing homelessness than can be routinely housed within a month, which is three veterans. As part of Built for Zero, the Lynchburg team changed how its homeless response system works by adopting the core elements of the Built for Zero methodology:
- Building a unified regional team, or a “command center,” around a shared aim of getting to functional zero
- Using real-time, person-specific data to know every person experiencing veteran experiencing homelessness by name and target efforts and resources accordingly
- Using data to redesign Lynchburg’s homeless response and strategically target resources
“We are grateful for the collaboration of our community partners and for the support provided through Community Solutions that has helped us achieve the goal of reaching functional zero for our homeless veterans. It has provided the template to duplicate this for all of our homeless neighbors.”
Sarah Quarantotto, Executive Director of Miriam’s House and Built for Zero community lead in Bergen County.
Key Milestones
October 2018
Joined Built for Zero
Lynchburg Region joined Built for Zero, a national movement committed to measurably ending homelessness.
January 2019
Achieved quality by-name data (Veterans)
Lynchburg Region built a comprehensive real-time, by-name list of all veterans experiencing homelessness in the community.
April 2019
Achieved quality by-name data (Chronic Adults)
Lynchburg Region built a comprehensive real-time, by-name list of all single adults experiencing chronic homelessness in the community.
Homelessness is solvable.
Communities in the Built for Zero movement are proving it.
