In 2011, I began to notice a disturbing trend with many of my Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) clients, who are predominantly homeless veterans. I meet most of my clients at homeless shelters and a drop-in center for veterans, and on any given visit to one of these facilities at that time, roughly a quarter were reporting to me that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had suddenly terminated their VA benefits—benefits that made up their entire monthly income, sometimes as high as $2,858 each month.
In response to this trend, HAP began surveying all of the veterans who reported losing their benefits. There was no ambiguity in the results: The VA was suspending the benefits of any veteran who was the subject of an outstanding felony warrant.
