The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Justice have announced a new initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable veterans, including those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, by enabling officials to initiate legal guardianship or conservatorship in certain cases.
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The agencies revealed a memorandum of understanding that allows the Justice Department to authorize VA officials to begin legal proceedings to appoint a guardian or conservator when veterans are unable to manage their medical or recovery-related decisions.
Officials say the program is designed to help veterans who lack family support or legal representation access care and services more effectively.
“a lifeline” for veterans who lack family or legal representation, according to the VA.
The new effort reflects growing collaboration between federal agencies to address the complex needs of vulnerable veterans.
Under the partnership, the Justice Department may assist with the legal processes required to appoint a guardian or conservator for veterans who need support navigating healthcare decisions, treatment programs or housing services.
Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general, described the partnership as part of the government’s broader effort to support former service members.
“The Department of Justice is proud to partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs to support our nation’s brave Veterans by ensuring that they have the best legal resources available when it comes to making medical decisions and receiving timely care,” Bondi said in a statement Wednesday. “We owe our Veterans a debt we can never fully repay — but we can give them the support they deserve.”
Supporters of the initiative say legal guardianship can help ensure that veterans dealing with serious medical or mental health challenges receive timely treatment and coordinated care.
However, the proposal has also drawn criticism from advocacy organizations that work on homelessness and civil rights issues.
The National Homelessness Law Center criticized the policy, arguing that it could undermine the autonomy of individuals experiencing homelessness.
The organization described the initiative as a “plan to strip homeless veterans of their rights and autonomy.”
In a separate statement, the group said the administration “is using homeless veterans as their latest political pawn to dehumanize all homeless people while ignoring the real cause of homelessness: the fact that the rent is too high for a growing number of people.”
Advocates say long-term reductions in veteran homelessness have historically been driven by investments in housing programs and supportive services, rather than legal interventions.
According to recent data, veterans account for about 5% of the adult homeless population in the United States, based on 2024 point-in-time counts.
Since 2009, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has dropped by roughly 50%, although the total veteran population has also declined significantly during that time.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the number of veterans in the country fell from 21.8 million in 2009 to about 15.7 million in 2024.
Despite these improvements, homelessness among veterans remains a major policy concern for federal and local officials.
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The new initiative reflects a broader shift in how the current administration approaches homelessness policy.
Rather than focusing primarily on long-standing housing-first programs, officials have increasingly emphasized treatment programs and criminal justice responses in addressing homelessness.
Doug Collins, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, said the program demonstrates the agency’s commitment to helping veterans in complex situations.
The department noted that it helped secure permanent housing for nearly 52,000 homeless veterans in fiscal year 2025, highlighting ongoing federal efforts to address the issue.
Officials say the new guardianship initiative is intended to complement those programs by ensuring that vulnerable veterans receive legal and medical support when they are unable to advocate for themselves.
Originally reported by Ryan Kushner, Editor in Smart Cities Dive.
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