Ending homelessness isn’t just possible — it’s already happening!
Cities and counties just like yours are changing how local housing systems work to ensure an end to homelessness that lasts and leaves no one behind.
Built for Zero is movement of more than 80 communities working to measurably end homelessness, starting with veteran and chronic homelessness.
All communities at functional zero will be reviewed annually to ensure they are sustaining this dynamic end state for ending homelessness.
12 communities have ended veteran homelessness
- Gulf Coast region, MS
- Arlington, VA
- Montgomery County, MD
- Rockford, IL
- Bergen County, NJ
- Fort Myers, FL*
- Riverside, CA*
- Abilene, TX
- Lake County, IL
- Norman, OK
- Chattanooga, TN
- Lynchburg, VA
5 communities have ended chronic homelessness
Three have ended both.
*No longer active in Built for Zero
What is Functional Zero?
A community has ended veteran homelessness when the number of veterans experiencing homelessness is
less than the number of veterans a community has proven it can house in a routine month. It has ended chronic homelessness when the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness is zero, or if not zero, then either 3 or .1% of the total number of individuals reported in the most recent point-in-time count, whichever is greater.
Stories of Success
Detroit Achieves Shift with 33% Reduction in Veteran Homelessness in 2020
For Detroit, 2019 and 2020 were polar opposites — but not in the way you may think. Even during the depths of 2020’s coronavirus pandemic, this community forged ahead in their work to end veteran homelessness.
With data and dedication, Minneapolis/Hennepin County houses over 600 people in three and half years
Since June 2017, the Minneapolis/Hennepin County Built for Zero team has housed 667 people from their chronic by-name list. People experiencing chronic homelessness are often among the most vulnerable people in a community. With unwavering commitment, the team has maintained an incredible rate of housing 20 people a month throughout 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Suburban Cook County targets an end to chronic and veteran homelessness during Covid crisis
The Suburban Cook County team, which joined Built for Zero in 2015, has managed the “COVID curveball” lobbed their way by strengthening their case conferencing and resource sharing, increasing outflow through housing placements, and implementing many targeted and impactful strategic improvements to the way they work.
“People think ending homelessness is not achievable, because the system wasn’t designed to end it: it was designed to manage it. But if you redesign it with zero in mind, it can be ended.”
Brenda O’Connell and her community of Lake County, Illinois, ended veteran homelessness with the help of Built for Zero.
