LOS ANGELES, CA (August 4, 2025) –“When you’re working and living out of your truck it’s hard to focus, it’s hard to get your routine… you’re scrambling all the time,” said Marine Corps veteran Bradley Fournier, who experienced a loss of business due to industry changes that left him struggling to cover living costs.
“As soon as I got housing, after a week or so I instantly felt better… my life started turning around right away,” he said. “You take a veteran and give us housing but that’s just the start, everything else that goes into it is what helped me get structured.”
Fournier was connected to housing support and services through the coordinated network of VA’s One Team initiative, a partnership that ensures veterans do not have to navigate the system alone. On August 22, more than 160 participants representing over 30 organizations gathered at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall to hear his story and strengthen the model accelerating progress toward ending veteran homelessness.
“One Team has united veteran service providers in a way that’s truly groundbreaking,” said One Team Co-Chair Sally Hammitt, interim deputy medical center director, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS). “Instead of operating in silos, we work as a team to meet each veteran’s housing and service needs. Now, there is no wrong door for a veteran to access the help they need, which means more veterans are getting off the streets and into housing.”
The convening underscored the collective commitment of VAGLAHS, the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA), Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grantees, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), and many other community partners working toward that mission.
“None of us can end veteran homelessness alone. It takes a community, working together, to ensure we reach every veteran in need. Collaboration creates a much larger pool of resources,” she said. “There is so much help available, but veterans need to be able to access that help in a centralized and supportive way.”
One Team partners connect veterans to housing through programs like the Department of Housing and Urban Development–VA Supportive Housing program (HUD-VASH), which provides rental vouchers with VA case management, and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), which offers rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention. In fiscal year 2024, these efforts housed 1,854 veterans in greater Los Angeles, 15 percent above the goal and a 43 percent increase since 2022.
“It’s been two years since the launch of One Team, and this event showed us that the initiative is stronger than ever. It’s not easy to change systems, but the willingness and dedication of our partners like MVA is what has made One Team so effective,” said Hammitt. “Everyone, from leadership to frontline staff, is on board to better serve veterans, and that’s the foundation for lasting change.”
With two months left in fiscal year 2025, the initiative has already surpassed its target of 1,830 veterans. A key driver of this progress is the newly renovated By-Name List (BNL), a confidential, real-time system that ensures every veteran experiencing homelessness is identified, connected to services, and supported on the path to permanent housing.
“Now that we are all working from the same accurate data, more than 93% of veterans have been assigned to a provider for a permanent housing plan,” Hammitt said about the BNL. “Wherever each veteran is on their housing journey, staff is actively reaching out and staying in touch to provide the support and resources they need.”
Beyond the data, the convening gave partners the chance to step back and evaluate how their systems are working in practice. Participants examined where gaps in housing and services remain, shared lessons from successes, and collaborated on solutions to strengthen the continuum of care.
“One of the things I valued most in the Army was being part of a mission-driven team, belonging to something larger than myself,” Zenner said. “One Team has created that same sense of shared purpose by breaking down silos and moving beyond agency priorities to focus on our collective mission of ending veteran homelessness. The accountability to one another feels very familiar to me. I have seen leaders consistently step up to remove barriers and support each other, and that spirit of collaboration is one of my favorite parts of what One Team brings. It reminds me of my time in the Army.”
The gathering also highlighted what is working, from innovative leasing models to expanded access points, reinforcing that progress comes not only from addressing challenges but also from scaling strategies that have proven effective.
“My favorite part of One Team is that we get to be together, learn about each other, and work together for the greater good,” said Rebecca Ricci, executive program director at Village for Vets, who has been involved since One Team’s beginning. “I get to see so many people who really care and want to solve a problem, it’s like nothing else. I feel completely inspired every time I leave one of these meetings, feeling like we are going to do this and we are in it together.”
Resources for Veterans
Veterans experiencing homelessness can call 310-268-3350 (M–F, 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.) for same-day housing assistance, or Volunteers of America at 213-623-8580 (24/7) for after-hours support.
Or visit: https://www.va.gov/greater-los-angeles-health-care/health-services/homeless-veteran-care/ for additional resources.
Story by: Ashley Cohen, Communications Director, Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA)
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