West Virginia has been selected to participate in Zero: 2016, a national campaign to end veteran and chronic homelessness in the next two years.

The initiative is supported by Community Solutions, a national non-profit organization based in New York City. Its main focuses in West Virginia will be Beckley, Charleston, Clarksburg, Huntington, Lewisburg, Martinsburg, Morgantown and Parkersburg.

The program will launch January 2015 during the national Homeless Point-in Time Count, which entails local volunteers hitting the streets and shelters to enumerate the local homeless population.

Zero: 2016 will be in collaboration with the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness in an attempt to meet federal goals set by President Obama.

The eight West Virginia communities’ chosen are exploring the integration with an evidence-based survey that will identify all of its homeless residents by name and determine the best available resources and housing options to fine them homes.

Rachel Coen, project specialist from WVCEH, said she is very enthusiastic about the partnership formed with other communities across the state.

“The WVCEH is very excited for these eight communities from around the state to come together to accomplish the same goal: ending Veteran homelessness by the end of 2015 and ending chronic homelessness by the end of 2016,” Coen said.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development released the results of the 2014 Homeless Point-in Time Count last week. These results showed that homelessness continues to decline in all major categories.

The report showed that on a single night in January, West Virginia had 30 veterans living on the streets, a 54 percent decrease in veteran homelessness since 2011.

“Chronic and Veteran homelessness are urgent, solvable problems,” said Zero: 2016 director Beth Sandor. “These communities represent a potential tipping point. Zero: 2016 is about bringing shared accountability to this work.”

These West Virginia communities will learn real-time performance improvements techniques drawn from healthcare, manufacturing and other sectors to reach ambitious monthly goals.

Taylor Watts can be