Swords to Plowshares, along with other CAVSA members from U.S. VETS and Veterans Village of San Diego, educated lawmakers on the current issues facing California veterans and advocated for needed investments to end homelessness among veterans.
Swords to Plowshares took part in a day of action at the California State Capitol with CAVSA partners from across California to elevate the voices of veterans and ensure their needs remain a priority for state leaders. We met with lawmakers and policy staff to share the challenges veterans face today, and to encourage them to make sustained investments in the programs that help veterans live with dignity, stability, and independence.
For fifty years, Swords to Plowshares has stood alongside Bay Area veterans, providing direct services while advocating for systemic change. This Capitol visit reflected our dual mission: to provide care on the ground and to push for policies that protect and expand resources for those who served.
One of our key messages to lawmakers was the urgent need for expanded mental healthcare. We emphasized that timely, consistent, and veteran-centered mental health services are critical to preventing crises such as homelessness, unemployment, or even suicide. As the impact of Proposition 1 is still being understood, sustained investments in mental healthcare ensure that veterans can access support when and where they need it, rather than being placed on long waitlists or turned away from care.
We also highlighted the growing crisis among senior veterans experiencing housing instability. California is facing a demographic shift: the number of older adults without stable housing is rising rapidly, and veterans are among those most vulnerable. Aging brings unique challenges - declining health, limited mobility, and fixed incomes - that compound the barriers veterans already face when trying to secure housing.
One of the most effective solutions we discussed is the statewide permanent supportive housing pilot we implemented in partnership with the California Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides tailored services so veterans can age in place. Through on-site care coordination, mental health support, and community-building, senior veterans are able to maintain their independence and dignity. They have the opportunity to live in a stable home, surrounded by neighbors and staff who understand their unique needs.
We encouraged lawmakers to renew and strengthen their commitment to these programs, recognizing that long-term investments in permanent supportive housing reduce costs in other areas, from emergency medical care to crisis shelter systems. More importantly, they uphold our collective responsibility to those who once served our nation.
We are grateful to the lawmakers who took the time to listen and engage, and to the advocates who stood alongside us in raising these issues. Our conversations at the Capitol were an important step forward, but they are only the beginning. Policy change requires persistence, and it is made possible by community voices - veterans, service providers, and supporters - speaking up together.
“Understandably, veterans can be wary and not trust us immediately – especially if they are women or struggling with mental health conditions. This isn’t only about getting veterans housed; we’re also establishing relationships with them out where they feel the safest – which may be in their tent or on a bench they frequent. It’s worth it to come out here determined to make a connection.” - Tonya Greenlee, Swords’ Outreach
From the streets of San Francisco to behind the barber chair, Zack’s story is one of resilience, community, and second chances – a reminder that with the right support, every veteran has the power to rebuild.
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