The number of homeless veterans across America increased in 2017 for the first time in seven years, when government officials began their nationwide push to help impoverished former service members. 

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The increase reflects estimates, before President Donald Trump took office and any of his new housing policies were put in place. The annual point-in-time count from Housing and Urban Development officials found roughly 40,000 homeless veterans at that time, an increase of nearly 600 individuals from the same mark in 2016. 

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It's the first setback for efforts to help homeless veterans since 2010, when then-President Barack Obama made a public pledge to "end veterans' homelessness." 

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The effort was paired with big boosts in funding for community intervention programs at both VA and HUD and saw some immediate results. The estimated number of homeless veterans dropped from more than 74,000 individuals in 2010 to fewer than 40,000 in 2016. 

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But in June, VA Secretary David Shulkin said he no longer saw the previous goal of zero homeless veterans as a realistic target for his department. 

America is proud of her veterans. That much we know. Our country does a lot for those who have worn the uniform and swore to defend our freedom. But sometimes people, even veterans fall through the cracks.

 

A report in the September 2018 The MilitaryWallet.com it was noted that there are over 630,000 homeless people in America. 67,495 are veterans. It amazes me that in today's society, over 1 in 10 homeless people in America are veterans.