FORT WORTH (1080 KRLD) - The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development spent Wednesday at a roundtable discussion in Fort Worth on homelessness among veterans.
Dr. Ben Carson says homelessness among veterans has dropped 50 percent since 2010, but Housing and Urban Development estimates about 40,000 veterans may be homeless on a given day across the country.
"The key that has really cut veterans homelessness is the fact we provide them with the housing, but that's only half of it. We also provide the wrap-around services," Carson says.
Fort Worth had launched a program to reduce homelessness among veterans, finding permanent homes for 181 veterans in 100 days. Carson says the city has provided those "wrap-around services," such as education or mental health, to help veterans stay off the street.
Mayor Betsy Price says Fort Worth worked to bring government agencies, non-profits and developers together.
"Our neighbors are here. It's our neighbors who are homeless," she says. "We know what's going to work in this population. Dr. Carson has been really good at allowing flexibility and innovation."