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Built for Zero [formerly Zero: 2016] is a rigorous national change effort designed to help a committed group of U.S. communities
end veteran and chronic homelessness. The initiative is the successor to the highly successful, nationally recognized 100,000 Homes Campaign, and it is led by the New York-based non-profit organization Community Solutions. Washtenaw County launched its participation in the Built for Zero initiative during its Point-In-Time Count of unsheltered and sheltered homeless individuals and families in January 2015. |
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Goal |
FUNCTIONAL ZERO
Where the number of veterans experiencing homelessness or persons experiencing chronic homelessness is equal or less than the community’s 6-month average housing placement rate for that group. In order for us to achieve our goal, we need to engage elected officials, housing resources, the behavioral health system, and other systems of care. And, we need to decrease barriers to integrate all people experiencing homelessness into our community. When we have accomplished this, homelessness will be rare, brief and non-recurring. We invite all Washtenaw County community members to join us in this effort! |
Strategy |
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Progress
This line chart shows in red the number of veterans housed each year in Washtenaw County. In 2015, 172; in 2016, 123; in 2017, 90; in 2018, 89; in 2019, 100; in 2020, 76; in 2021, 67.
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We housed
95 Chronically Homeless people in 2021. 
This line chart shows in blue the number of chronically homeless people housed each year in Washtenaw County. In 2015, 158; in 2016, 87; in 2017, 95; in 2018, 58; in 2019, 55; in 2020, 78; in 2021, 95.
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100-Day Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness
Between late September 2024 until January 23, 2025, a cohort of Care (CoC) partners collaborated on a 100-Day Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. The Challenge, part of our community's work with the Built For Zero movement, was designed to bring together community leaders, services providers, advocates, and other individuals to accelerate progress on achieving an end to Veteran homelessness.
Our goals were:
By the end of the Challenge, 25 Veterans experiencing homelessness were permanently housed. And! The number of unhoused Veterans tracked on our system's By-Name-List stayed under 20 during each month of the Challenge, down from the monthly high of 25 in 2023.
In February 2025, a Community Debrief was held to provide a recap on the 100 days, highlight successes from the Challenge, as well as share next steps for keeping the momentum going in the work to end Veteran homelessness. Slides presented at the debrief can be viewed here.
Stay involved and join us in finally ending Veteran homelessness!
Please share how you can commit to the work to end Veteran homelessness by submitting a brief contact form here.
Our goals were:
- Identify barriers Veterans face when seeking housing, specifically through feedback from Veterans with lived experience, and help remove those barriers.
- Expand our community partnerships.
- Engage with landlords willing to provide safe and affordable housing for Veterans.
- Reduce the number of Veterans entering the homeless system through expansion of prevention and diversion services.
By the end of the Challenge, 25 Veterans experiencing homelessness were permanently housed. And! The number of unhoused Veterans tracked on our system's By-Name-List stayed under 20 during each month of the Challenge, down from the monthly high of 25 in 2023.
In February 2025, a Community Debrief was held to provide a recap on the 100 days, highlight successes from the Challenge, as well as share next steps for keeping the momentum going in the work to end Veteran homelessness. Slides presented at the debrief can be viewed here.
Stay involved and join us in finally ending Veteran homelessness!
Please share how you can commit to the work to end Veteran homelessness by submitting a brief contact form here.
This bar graph, with a line graph above it, shows the increase and decrease in the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in Washtenaw County between January 2024 until January 2025. December 2023 was the first time the overall number of veterans on the By-Name-List was below 20. Between August 2024 and January 2025 the number continued to be below 20.
Other Related News
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The 100-Day Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw United interview with Washtenaw Housing Alliance talking about the community's challenge and its results. The challenge started in late September 2024 and ended on January 23, 2025. 2021 The Built For Zero Movement in Washtenaw County
a Washtenaw Housing Alliance blog post recapping BFZ in 2021 |
There's No Cure For Coronavirus. But Housing Is the Best Protection.
a Community Solutions article on BFZ communities' response to COVID and getting people to safety; published April 2020 2019 Bright Spot
a Community Solutions article highlighting Washtenaw County |
Research: Community Solutions, Urban Institute Partner To Understand Inflow Into Veteran Homelessness
a Community Solutions briefing on results from the Community Strategies to Understand and Reduce Veteran Inflow into Homelessness report (below); published November 2020
a Community Solutions briefing on results from the Community Strategies to Understand and Reduce Veteran Inflow into Homelessness report (below); published November 2020
Housing Access for Washtenaw County
(734) 961-1999
(734) 961-1999