Hundreds of hours top understanding, both in my professional and personal life. Homelessness in america. Here in new york, i see the struggles of the homeless while doing volunteer outreach with new york citys chronically homeless every week. There are over half a million homeless americans. Nearly a quarter are children under the age of 18. And then theres this. Nearly one in a dozen homeless are veterans. Thats why president obama set a goal top end homelessness among veterans. That has not happened. But the official estimate of Homeless Veterans is down by onethird since 2010. Still homeless vets face serious challenges, including a bureaucracy at the department of affairs that is hard to document. We went to homeless vets trying to help them. Im usually up between 4 30 and 5 00 in the morning, and when i wake up, i usually have a cigarette and cup of coffee. Its Early Morning in section meant oh, california. And temperatures on this day are already pushing 100 degrees. But 63yearold ron stangler knows theres not much chance of escaping the heat. Ive been homeless for 16 years now. Stangler is one of the 50,000 Homeless Veterans. He said a hip injury on the job left him out of work two decades ago, and he has never been able to get back on his feet. But for the first time in decades, he has found hope that home will soon mean a roof over his head. Outreach worker, eddie, is part of a National Effort to ensure that no homeless veteran will ever live unhoused again. Were in their face, and giving them hope, right from the getgo. What do you mean. Off the bat, Building Trust something. Her. Nunez, a military veteran himself, scours the city regularly for former service members. They need help, but have fallen years. Theres no reason a veteran should not ask for something and receive it. Especially when it comes to the food. The rights of every veteran, including ending the tragedy of homelessness among veterans. The notion that one homeless veteran is one too many is why president obama in 2010 launched a plan to end veteran 2015. Were not going to stop until every veteran who has america. Largely funded by the department of veterans affairs, its a 7 billion initiative that Partners Community groups with government agencies. It uses aggressive outreach in what is called the Housing First model. Thats the idea of giving permanent housing to the homeless with no strings attached. And it is already bringing the total number of veterans nationwide down by 30 . Is there anything else that i can do for you . You know i want to get out of here as soon as possible. Stangler has now found urgency in finding hows. His partner cannot return to a life living outdoors. Shes got cancer. And im sorry. But when i think about her, and im too old to cry. And its just its very important for me to get a place so she can be with me. Because i dont know how much longer she would really have. But it has been three months, and a nowcleanshaven stangler is still without a home. Despite an effort to streamline the housing process, advocates say accessing the va services involves a frustrating amount of red tape. There are a lot of folks, but still focusing on the one, you dont really help nobody. The gay that the person says im ready to get off the street, im ready to make these choice, you need to respond to that moment. Ryan runs steps forward, the organization in charge of the citys effort. Sometimes when we have systems that cause them to wait, you can lose that moment of hope. At last count, sacramento had 3,000 Homeless Veterans, they have housed hundreds by january, but likely wont meet the year end deadline. He said bureaucratic delays and lack of Affordable Housing have made it a challenge. Its not cheap, and its difficult to acquire those units, and theres a certain stigma thats attached to this population. I enjoy the time i stay at a laundromat or somebody, i wouldnt let nobody know what my situation was. Former staff sergeant, edward, quickly found out how crippling the va bureaucracy could be when he turned to them for housing help. Its not going to happen. Honorably discharged in 2014, after 16 years of active duty and three tours in iraq, 39yearold fach moved to california to pursue his dreams of being an nfl coach. He found work as an assistant coach at a local high school, but the small stipend he earned couldnt pay the rent. He went to the local va, but for months he was given the run around and no help. You can call one person, and they see you to this person and to that person, and nobody is really there for you. He eventually found refuge at a fellow vets house, and once there, he was connected to the citys Homeless Outreach agency, which helped him paperwork. These guys all Work Together better than the va. The vas Inspector General issued a scathing report last december, criticizing the departments hotline to help Homeless Veterans. Auditors identified 40,500 missed opportunities to connect veterans with services, and over one quarter of the callers had to leave messages on the answering machine because councilors were not available to take the calls. The va declined to speak to the story, but they said that the inspector gem was complying with all of the recommendations on the report. Were moving forward. Two months after we first met him, his va housing is time coming through. Th the apartment is empty, but its big enough for his entire live. We got each other. Meanwhile, ron stangler is still waiting for his new home. His partner, johnna, has moved to a temporary facility. To visit her the half hour walk daily. Hey. Yeah. To here whats going on with me. All right . You know the apartment i told you about . As soon as we get it, i can take you there with me. All right . Okay. And its looking like now, maybe 30 more days. Stangler only hopes johnna stays well enough long enough to come home. With any luck, it will be a short period of time. And then we can be back together. I love you, baby. All right . Well, since that story first ran, ron stangler has moved in with his partner, johnna, in her room, and under his care, johnnas health has improved. Coming up, why ending homelessness may be giving them their own homes, and how that could save taxpayers money. You dont have to be sober, or on medication for Mental Illness to be place into housing. Just because you need a home makes it so you can get a home. Al Jazeera America proud of telling your stories. I wanted to dance, and eventually i started leaving the gangs in the street alone. Were pushing the envelope with out science every day, we can save species. Im walking you guys all i wanted to see was her walk. It was amazing. These were emotions that i had been dreaming about for so long. Getting to the heart of the matter. Proud to tell your stories. Al Jazeera America. Were here to fully get into the nuances of everything thats going on, not just in this country, but around the world. What, as if there were no cameras here, would be the best solution . This goes to the heart of the argument. To tell you the stories that others wont cover. How big do you see this getting . Getting the news from the people who are affected. People need to demand reform. Were here to provide the analysis. The context. And the reporting that allows you to make sense of your world. Ali velshi on target. Were here to fully get into the nuances of everything thats going on, not just in this country, but around the world. Getting the news from the people who are affected. People need to demand reform. Ali velshi on target. The number of People Living in new york city shelters has reached record highs in recent years as housing costs soar, but the Bigger Picture tells a different story. Nationwide, the Homeless Population has increased every year since 2007, and the biggest have come from the chronically homeless, people who live on the street. Its a program that essentially gives the chronically homeless their own apartments. It started in new york, and it has become a national program. Here. You were in this neighborhood because there were drugs here. Where would you sleep . Anywhere along here. Back in interstate interstate, Valerie Wilkinson had been on the streets for two years, drinking and battling depression, she found what safe haven she could outside of this school in harlem. This . It got to the point where i got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Thats when wilkinson finally sought help from a Nonprofit Agency outreach, called cucs. We have problems with homelessness in new york city, its a huge problem, and we have to work at it. Erica strang runs the outreach program, its a program that i know well. A shift in the economy, and these are folks in some cases who have been out for many many years. We have folks who have been out for 15, 20 years. Early every morning, teams from cucs set out on the streets, looking for folks, sleeping outside of upper manhattan. Good morning, folks. Good morning, were with the outreach program. The chronically homeless make up roughly 15 of the total Homeless Population. Theyre mostly men, but some women who have lived on the streets for years. Many struggle with Mental Illness or Substance Abuse, but in the end, their homelessness puts a huge drain on public resources. Each costs the taxpayers up to 50,000 annually in the social services they use. Maybe someone called 911 because theyre laid out on the street. And thats the cost of ems coming there, and if theyre incarcerated, housing them in jail, and Substance Abuse, and detox and rehab programs. But strang says that the model of the Housing First model changes that, it uses programs to house homeless. Reporter critic say that this strategy of Housing First to address Mental Health issues rewards bad behavior and could be down right responsible. But it has spread across the country because it works. Since 2007, the amount of chronically homeless in the United States has dropped by a half, from 80,000 to 90,000, and more importantly, it saves money. In new york, the cost per homeless persons croft 16,282 less a year. Colorado experienced double the savings, from 43,239 down to 11,694. And nationwide, housing 100,000 chronically homeless americans cut an estimated 1. 3 billion a year in costs. I think that its hard to appreciate how transformative housing could be. You see it first in the transformation with these individuals, with regards for their own ability to care for themselves, basic hygiene, better control, and any Substance Abuse that they may have. Studies show that Housing First programs have reduced Substance Abuse on the homeless by 36 . And that continues, as many remain in housing a year after originally being placed with little drop off years after. Cc matchum had a lot of problems. Sleeping under this bridge, she was addicted to crack and as a transgender woman felt unsafe living in shelters, but with the help of cscs moved into her own apartment last summer. Theres more to life than just using and with a new job at a call center, shes estimated to be one of the 30 of Housing First part ants who end up returning to the workforce. I get to be a person in society again. When i first came here, it felt like home. Valerie wilkinson workings parttime as an administrative assistant, one of the estimated 30 of participants who end up returning for the workforce. Shes studying for computer certification that she hopes will lead to better fulltime work. Five years sober, shes reconnected with her family, including a daughter that she had not seen in two decades. I lived in darkness for so long. And it was hopeless now, and now walking in the light, i have a lot to lock forward to. Im happy to report that Valerie Wilkinson is still living in her home and is approaching seven years sober. Coming up, americans whologicals their jobs and lose their homes and then find themselves living in their cars. What the Great Recession did to thousands of americans who fell out of the middle class. Just because youre homeless doesnt mean that you dont want to work, because you do, and you want the security that you had. Its a struggle. Its hard to just wake up and want to keep it. If anybody had told me i was going to be living in my car, i would laugh and say thats not a possibility. Al Jazeera America brings you independent reporting without spin. Not everybody is asking the questions youre asking me today. We give you more perspectives the separatists took control a few days ago. And a global view. Now everybody in this country can hear them. Getting the story firsthand. They have travelled for weeks, sometimes months. Whats your message then . We need help now. Youre watching al Jazeera America. Ive been talking tonight about homeless People Living on the streets, and including a large group of homeless, people force to live in their cars. The government doesnt keep records of the socalled vehicular homeless, but advocates say that we might be seeing the greatest number, and its not only illegal, but unsafe. And thats why they have come up with a solution. This is back in the fall of 2013. Just before 6 p. M. , as others start their Community Home from work, Theresa Smith heads toward this church in downtown san diego, but its not religion that shes after. Its the parking lot. This is our office, what we use. So we have our file cabinet, and paperwork, and basic toiletries, and snacks that we get in for donations. We want to make sure that our need. She founded a nonprofit, renting the lots from this church and a youth center nearby. Its one of a dozen programs and 85 sites on the west coast that provide a safe haven for the roughly 59 of the homeless who live in their cars. How is your case going . Its going good. Smith started in 2010 with the Great Recession, families accustomed to security and instability who were cafta unemployment. They would go to the shelters and come back in tears, saying its not me, im not really homeless, im just in between right now, where do i go . Now smith says 76 of them have some sort of income, but struggle with unemployment or jobs that pay just a fraction of what theyre used to. Just because youre homeless doesnt mean that youre not working, and just because youre homeless means that you dont, because you want the security that you had. Katherine worked as a receptionist until she was laid off in 2009 and then she worked as a library assist. But that barely paid for a motel room. She lost her job and moved into her car. Having found this place made it a lot easier. Youre parked on the side of the street, and the police are away. Seniors make up one in five of those parked in the lot. Another 20 . Its a struggle every day, and there are days where its hard to wake up and want to keep going. After 12 years in the marine corp and deployment in both wars, he left the military in may. Hes finishing a degree in bio engineering and looking for fulltime work, but so far, he has only got parttime gigs. Im just one of many this. The Safe Parking Program has rules. You must be in by 9 p. M. And out by 7 00 a. M. Theres zero tolerance for alcohol, drugs or violence. A criminal check for now applicants, and an agreement for oneonone financial counseling. You can stay as long as you want, provided that you get back into housing. If anyone told me i was going to be living in my car, i would laugh and say thats not a possibility. In 2010, landry spent nine months he had a collections job that once earned him six figures. The people were performs, if they werent on my lot, they were people who used to live next door to me in my house. Landry final landed work working in his car, and uses his brandnew car only to drive to and from his job. But safe places have come under fire by nearby residents, worried about safety. They shut down the lot after repeated community complaints. No offense, people like you come in here and you dont have to put up with these people. More than 5,000 miles away, a growing population of People Living in their cars and rvs problems. They steal from us, and they drop their trash wherever they want, they bring the Property Value down because who wants to buy a house with a campground of america across the street. Graham cross helped to create seattles Parking Program last year. He said a few bad eggs may lurk, but 70 are first time homeless, desperate to get back on their feet. We need a safe community, with people who want to get to work, and live the American Dream that we feel were justified toward. A dream that psychology student, Belinda Escobar forces herself to keep in mind each night as she and her children sedan. About a week ago, i just didnt want to go back to my car. It was hard. But you know, hopefully, at the end of the line, ill have Something Better to offer my kids. So its temporary. A long temporary, but it will be over soon. Since we first aired our report, there are now waiting lists to get into the safe parking lots in san diego. Some 3070 cars on any given night. The reasons are rising rents and tight housing market. Here are updates. Katherine williams who was living in a car with her mother has seen her health deteriorate the past few years. She reasonable moved in with a friend in san diego, where living costs are cheaper. He found housing through the va. And millenda escobar, who we met with her four kids got approved for government subsidized housing a few months later. Im ali velshi, thank you for al Jazeera America, proud to give voice to the voiceless. We are creating a class of adults exposed to mediocre education. Theres bad people out there in these sports. We call chicago chiraq because we have more killers than iraq. In order to save my children, i had to try to save everyone elses. I had to encourage them. To tell them, theres a better way. I have to do my one hundred percent best so i dont end up in a place like this again. You have kids here whove killed someone . Yes we do. My homie got shot five times. Have you ever seen anybody get shot . Highlighting threats to children around the world. Its very difficult for us. We dont have clothes, we dont have food. In terms of child labor, myanmar is ranked one of the worst in the world. Do you make anything that ends up in walmart . Yes. This is where a lot of americas clothes come from, and its a reality Many Companies dont want us to see. Shelee, how old are you . 12 years old. Shelee, do you go to school . I used to. The shells exploded right in the middle of the room. You have to remember that this was a school and the blackboard still has a lesson plan on it. This is imagery and scars impacting scores of children across gaza. Pernilla ironside and unicef sponsor therapy for children who have lost a parent or a home. 10 year old Ibrahim Nasser lost both. Thanks to the exercises, ibrahim can look forward. Can you tell me what you want to be when you grow up . A doctor. Why do you want to be a doctor . To heal the wounded. Al Jazeera America proud to tell your stories. This is al jazeera. Hello from doha. This is the newshour on al jazeera. Coming up. Russia says one of its attack helicopters like this has crashed in syria. Two pilots are dead. The turkish fire. In the turkish capitol with syria and isil. Top of his agenda u. S. Health officials warn the zi