Georgia prides itself on honoring those who served, yet nearly 700 veterans in our state have no place to call home on any given night, according to federal estimates. Nonprofits serving this community insist the actual number is certainly much higher. But the crisis of veteran homelessness extends far beyond the Peach State.
In January 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) counted nearly 33,000 homeless veterans nationwide, with Georgia’s share modest compared to major metropolitan centers. Behind these numbers lies a deeper emergency requiring immediate attention and long-term policy solutions.
Our veterans sleep in cars, shelters, and encampments along urban waterways, trapped by mental health struggles, legal or financial troubles, the affordable housing shortage, and insufficient re-entry planning. In response, Georgia’s leaders took action. Last year, a state Senate Study Committee on Veterans’ Mental Health and Housing, commissioned by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and led by Senator Chuck Payne (R-Dalton), spent months hearing these harsh truths. Their findings underscore the need for sustained efforts and new strategies to ensure veterans aren’t left behind.
A promising approach comes from Henry County’s Mighty Hero Homes Foundation (MHHF), whose mission is straightforward yet bold: to “eradicate veteran homelessness by providing affordable, permanent homes.” Their plan involves creating housing communities, or “Bases,” combining small, low-cost homes with support services and a built-in community of fellow veterans.
Unlike existing state-run facilities with limited stays and strict eligibility criteria, MHHF’s Bases aren’t short-term, exclusive shelters. Georgia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Ross recently advocated for just over $1.5 million to keep up with rising healthcare costs and for additional funding of $2.1 million as recommended by the state House of Representatives to open 40 more beds at the Georgia War Veterans Homes.
MHHF, however, represents a scalable model offering long-term stability to the veteran population at large with a much lower price tag. Each Base will consist of dozens of small homes (around 650 sq. ft. each) veterans can own, alongside a community center providing job training, counseling, legal services, and health care. Recreating the camaraderie and structure of military life, offers veterans dignity through homeownership and community connection.
Mighty Hero Homes is clearly not just a concept on paper—it’s literally gaining ground. The foundation secured land lease agreements from the Henry County Board of Commissioners and the Henry County Development Authority for its first Base and has actively engaged state leaders elsewhere for additional opportunities.
At a Senate committee hearing, retired Major General Les Carroll and MHHF Vice President Derek Layne presented their model, highlighting Georgia’s critical affordable housing shortage affecting veterans and other vulnerable groups. They emphasized the true count of homeless veterans might be two to three times higher than official figures due to underreporting of those who remain hidden in urban and rural areas.
State leaders have taken notice after inviting nonprofits like MHHF to propose solutions. Senator Brian Strickland (R-McDonough), whose district includes Henry County, has also been a strong advocate for veterans issues. Because “Homelessness and mental health,” he said, “ intersect in a way that continues to create major issues in our state” this “hits our veterans in particular.” He championed Mighty Hero Homes for prioritizing permanent solutions over temporary fixes, urging colleagues to support initiatives that truly address root causes. With “MHHF tackling this issue head-on by offering a long-term solution,” they’re “lifting these men and women from dire situations onto a path to homeownership,” Strickland said.
MHHF’s vision aligns with a broader state effort to strengthen veterans’ support, with deeper policy goals benefiting the wider homeless population. The Senate committee recommended expanding transition assistance, job opportunities, and resources for finding affordable housing. It also noted that innovative models like MHHF would still require housing vouchers, VA loans, or other aid to ensure homes remain affordable for veterans with extremely low incomes.
This is precisely where Georgia’s lawmakers must work together. Increased legislative support and targeted funding for nonprofits like Mighty Hero Homes could dramatically expand this Base model, provide matching state funds or tax credits for veteran housing projects, ensuring rental vouchers or similar aid are accessible. Georgia can lead by doing more than just reducing veteran homelessness, when it can commit to ending it altogether. What we learn along the way can aid every Georgian facing homelessness.
Our veterans answered the call when our nation needed them most. Now, it’s our turn to ensure no veteran remains unhoused. Those who wore our uniform didn’t quit when times were tough; neither can we.
For more information about how to support eradicating veterans homelessness or to become a foundation sponsor, please contact MHHF CEO Drew Walston.
William J. Black, III, is a Georgia attorney and combat disabled retiree of the U.S. Air Force.
