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48 FIRST LADY, VA PLEDGE TO END VETERAN HOMELESSNESS First Lady Michelle Obama, the U.S. De- partment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the creation of the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homeless- ness at an event at the White House. At the event, more than 75 mayors and county and state officials from across the country pledged they are committed to ending veteran homelessness in their communities. Using the power of federal, local, and non- profit resources, the mayors and officials hoped to end Veteran homelessness by 2015. Since 2010, the Obama administration has reduced veteran homelessness by 24 percent and believes completely ending veteran homeless- ness by 2015 is within reach, but that they must "continue to accelerate our progress to reach the ultimate goal," HUD said in a release. Recent programs in Salt Lake City and Phoenix have raised the profile of efforts toward ending veterans homelessness, and the admin- istration believes that with buy-in from local officials and community partners, ending veteran homelessness is an achievable goal. "When you serve our nation in the bravest of ways, you should not have to wonder where you will lay your head at night. e administration and communities across the country have taken bold action to use existing resources to create permanent supportive housing and ensure the targeting of the most vulnerable people," said Shaun Donovan, secretary of HUD. "We know the size of the problem, we know the most effec- tive and successful programs to get veterans into permanent housing, and Congress has given us the resources we need." Acting secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson echoed Donovan's sentiment: "We're on our way to ending veterans' homelessness by the end of 2015, but we can't do it alone. It's a chal- lenge that requires close collaboration among federal, state, local governments, and community groups. We've proven we can reduce veterans' homelessness—now it's time to end it." e federal government has provided resources and enforced programs to strengthen the country's homeless assistance programs. Such programs and resources include remov- ing barriers to help veterans attain permanent housing as soon as possible, prioritizing the most vulnerable veterans to receive permanent housing opportunities, and coordinating outreach efforts to currently homeless veterans. WHY DO PEOPLE MOVE? CENSUS BUREAU ANSWERS Among the 36 million people who moved between 2012 and 2013, a new study from the United States Census Bureau found that the most important reason to move was to find a new/better home or apartment. e study reported that 8 percent of respondents cited a desire for cheaper housing, while 5 percent said the most important reason for mov- ing was to be closer to work or for an easier commute. e report, Reason for Moving: 2012 to 2013, presents an in-depth look at reasons why people moved during the previous year. In total, 11.7 percent of surveyed par- ticipants moved in the year, with 48 percent moving for housing reasons compared to family or employment. All told, 17.2 million gave a housing-related reason for moving. "We asked people to select the reason that contributed most to their decision to move. Picking one reason can be difficult as moves are often motivated by many different, and oftentimes competing, factors," said the report's author, David Ihrke, a demographer in the Census Bureau's Journey to Work and Migration Statistics Branch. "For instance, if one's primary reason for moving is to be closer to work or having an easier commute, they may have to sacrifice other preferences. is could include forgo- ing cheaper housing options or settling for a different neighborhood. If they mainly want cheaper housing, they may have to deal with a longer commute," Ihrke said. e report found that men were more likely to move for job-related reasons than women, while better-educated people were more likely to move for job-related reasons than those with lower levels of education. e census found that moves within the same county were typically for housing reasons, while intercounty moves were largely for job-related reasons. The amount of HUD money awarded to a total of 7,100 homeless shelters in the U.S. Source: HUD STAT INSIGHT $1.6 Billion First Lady Michelle Obama vows to end veteran homeless- ness at an event at the White House.