Huntington, VA Pilots Support Program for Homeless Veterans

A New Approach to Ending Veteran Homelessness in Huntington

Huntington, West Virginia, is taking a unique and innovative approach to address veteran homelessness through a new initiative called "Mission Zero." This program, developed in collaboration with the Veterans Affairs Administration (VA), aims to eliminate homelessness among veterans by providing immediate support and resources.

The launch of Mission Zero was anything but traditional. Instead of the usual outreach methods, the city used a boat as a platform for the initiative. The Huntington Marine Co. 1 Boat became the vessel for this groundbreaking effort, allowing officials to reach areas that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The VA reached out to the city after identifying several encampments along the Ohio and Guyandotte Rivers. These encampments were home to unhoused individuals, some of whom were veterans. The city then partnered with the VA to locate and assist these individuals.

Brian Nimmo, director of the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center, explained that while the VA typically conducts outreach on foot, using a boat allows them to access areas they might not have known about before. “The boat allows us to locate camps we may not be aware of and veterans we may not be aware of so we can engage with them,” he said.

During the boat tour, VA and city leaders collected data on the locations of these encampments. This information will help VA employees return to those areas to connect with individuals in need of assistance. “They can start with things like employment counseling, temporary shelter or even more than temporary shelter and all the programs we have to offer,” Nimmo added.

Huntington Mayor Patrick Farrell has set a clear goal for the program: to identify every veteran experiencing homelessness and find them housing within 30 days. “The idea of functional zero homelessness is that we have enough housing for anyone who is experiencing homelessness within thirty days,” Farrell explained. He acknowledged the challenges in the system but emphasized the importance of finding and fixing these issues quickly.

Farrell also mentioned that while the program specifically targets veterans, the city is committed to helping everyone in need. “We’re going to try to help everybody,” he said. If other individuals are found during outreach efforts, they will be directed to other available resources in the city.

For Farrell, this initiative is not just a policy goal—it’s personal. As an Air Force veteran himself, he understands the struggles that many veterans face. “For veterans that served, we want to make sure that none of them have to live on the streets,” he said.

Nimmo echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of providing structure and support to veterans. “Not every veteran has that [family structure],” he said, referring to his own experience after leaving the military. “We’re completely supportive trying to get veterans housed, off riverbanks, into employment programs, give them a sense of purpose and just help them get things on the right track.”

The city reported that during the initial outreach, they made contact with around 40 people, including some veterans. This number is significantly higher than what outreach groups typically achieve in a day, making the impact of the program clear.

Mission Zero is just the beginning of a broader effort to support veterans and the unhoused community. The program will include several additional components, such as landlord education events later this summer, realigning federal grants to focus on vulnerable veterans, creating a shared by-name list for case management, and launching a dashboard to track progress.

This initiative represents a meaningful step toward addressing veteran homelessness and ensuring that those who have served our country receive the support they deserve. Through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to action, Huntington is setting a powerful example for other communities facing similar challenges.