ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Fewer veterans are experiencing homelessness across the country, according to an early estimate. But in Southwest Georgia, groups say finding housing and helping veterans stay in their homes can still be a challenge.

Pat Christopher of Dog TagSS says the nonprofit helps veterans across Southwest Georgia and parts of North Florida find housing. The group works with landlords, the VA and other organizations to help veterans find a place to live and get support.

Dog TagSS can also help pay rent when veterans are at risk of losing their homes, Christopher said.

A preliminary analysis commissioned by the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates veteran homelessness fell 7.8% nationwide between one-night counts in 2025 and 2026. The analysis uses numbers reported by communities, along with estimates for areas that have not yet been reported.

That figure is not a final federal count, and it does not show whether veteran homelessness rose or fell in Southwest Georgia.

In Georgia, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development counted 639 veterans experiencing homelessness on one night in 2025. Of those, 323 were living without shelter, while 316 were staying in emergency shelters or temporary housing programs.

Those numbers are a yearly count done during a single night in January, not a count of everyone who experiences homelessness during the entire year. Marcy Thompson, the Alliance’s vice president of programs and policy, says people experiencing homelessness in rural areas can also be harder to find.

“Lower numbers don’t necessarily mean less need, and less visible homelessness doesn’t mean homelessness isn’t there,” Thompson said in a written response.

Thompson says continued spending on housing and support services has helped reduce veteran homelessness over time.

In Albany, the Housing Authority says eligible veterans can get rental assistance through its Housing Choice Voucher program. The authority does not run HUD-VASH, a separate housing program for veterans experiencing homelessness.

Housing Authority CEO Dr. William Myles said a shortage of suitable rental homes is a major obstacle for veterans and other people looking for housing.

Albany businessman and Army veteran Albert Campbell says the move back to civilian life can be difficult for veterans who are struggling.

Campbell says VA websites and the forms veterans must fill out to get help can be hard to navigate, especially for those dealing with mental health challenges.

Christopher says helping veterans means working with other groups to address those needs and keep people housed. He says Dog TagSS depends on community support to do its work.

“We rely on the community to fund us because we don’t get grants or anything like that,” Christopher said.

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