Veteran pathways to homelessness and housing solutions: A scoping review

Abstract: Transitioning from military to civilian life is a complex process influenced by veterans’ social networks, health, employment, housing stability, and access to support services. For Australian Defence Force veterans, rising rates of homelessness highlight the challenges of reintegration. While the majority successfully navigate this transition, others face interconnected barriers that increase vulnerability to housing insecurity. This scoping review explores pathways leading to homelessness among veterans and examines housing solutions, with a primary focus on the Australian context and insights from international literature. A search was conducted in October 2024 across CINAHL, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Joanna Briggs Institute, Google Scholar, and grey literature, focusing on pathways to homelessness, housing solutions, and broader housing challenges. Of 175 papers identified, 77 published between January 2014 and October 2024 were included following screening. Findings reveal complex pathways involving economic and housing instability, mental and physical health issues, justice system involvement, and social isolation. Housing responses include emergency accommodation, transitional housing, and affordable housing with Housing First approaches. These findings emphasise the fragile relationship between housing, health, and community integration, and the need for tailored, trauma-informed, veteran-centred interventions. While much of the existing evidence originates from the United States, strengthening the Australian evidence base requires future research that prioritises local veterans, particularly underrepresented groups, through longitudinal studies. Key areas include integrated care models, rural housing solutions, and improved veteran identification in national datasets. A holistic and coordinated response is essential to support the long-term reintegration and housing stability of Australian veterans.