The state saw a slight increase in the number of unhoused veterans finding permanent housing this year, according to VA Maine.
About 236 veterans in Maine were connected with permanent housing in 2025, a more than 10% bump over the previous year, according to the department.
Homeless program coordinator Danielle Mayer said this year, VA Maine made a concerted push to reach veterans this year and connect them with permanent and transitional housing.
"We as a veteran homeless system were able to go out to where unsheltered veterans actually are and offer them resources, rather than expecting them to come to us and ask for resources," she said in an interview.
Community partners, which include the non-profits Preble Street, Volunteers of America and Bread of Life, have joined the VA during "surge" events and have caseworkers that can begin the process of connecting veterans with a shelter bed, transitional housing or permanent housing.
It takes a consistent effort to build trust with veterans, Mayer added.
"Maybe today they'll take a bottle of water and a sandwich, and next week they'll also take a gift card," she said. "And then the following week, they'll take a referral to case management services."
The 236 veterans in Maine who found permanent housing were among the nearly 52,000 veterans across the country who were permanently housed in fiscal 2025 — a seven-year high, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
VA Maine said it began counting permanently housed veterans on a fiscal year basis last year, making longer-term comparisons over the last five years more difficult.
Mayer said VA Maine has more direct outreach events planned throughout the state this coming year.
