Veterans' Coalition Holds Town Hall on Resources, Homelessness

Southern Nevada VA system sees rapid growth, sparking concerns over access to care and services for veterans.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 5:21am

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A bold, colorful silkscreen print featuring a repeated military dog tag icon, conceptually illustrating the diverse experiences and needs of the local veteran community.A vibrant visual representation of the varied challenges and support systems for veterans in Southern Nevada.Las Vegas Today

The Clark County Veterans' Coalition held a town hall at Rainbow Library in Las Vegas, aimed at connecting local veterans with resources and support. Speakers discussed the growing demand for VA services in Southern Nevada, challenges around access to healthcare, and the ongoing issue of veteran homelessness in the region.

Why it matters

As the VA system in Southern Nevada expands to meet rising demand, ensuring veterans can easily access the services and support they have earned is crucial. The town hall provided a platform for veterans to voice their concerns and for officials to address the community's needs, particularly around mental health, homelessness, and navigating the complex VA bureaucracy.

The details

Representatives from the VA noted that Nevada has long been considered a healthcare desert, with shortages in local care and physicians, which can directly affect veterans and lead to longer wait times. Veterans shared concerns about the lack of progress on issues like homelessness, calling for more concrete action. Officials reported that Southern Nevada has reduced the number of homeless veterans by about half, but the transient nature of Las Vegas means the problem continues to persist.

  • The town hall was held on April 9, 2026 at Rainbow Library in Las Vegas.
  • The VA system in Southern Nevada has seen rapid growth, adding more than 400 veterans each month.

The players

Clark County Veterans' Coalition

A local organization that held the town hall event to connect veterans with resources and support.

Vincent Palmieri Jr.

A veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and commander for western regions who spoke at the town hall and called for more concrete action to address issues like homelessness.

Shaquilla Eilets

A veteran who expressed concern about the number of homeless veterans and wanted to know what's being done to get them off the streets and connected to services.

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What they’re saying

“What I really want to see change is people stop talking about it and doing something about it. And, okay, mental health is a problem, homeless is a problem. How are you going to solve it? We have ways to solve it. And we have a lot of developers here. But the problem is sometimes the locations they want to put a veteran is not the best location.”

— Vincent Palmieri Jr., Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and commander for western regions

“How many of them need services, and how we're going to actually decrease the issue. What are we doing? And yes, it's not just homeless people, but a large population of the homeless people out there are veterans.”

— Shaquilla Eilets, Veteran

What’s next

Officials from the VA said they are working to address the issue of veterans not seeking out the services available to them, in order to better connect them with the support they need.

The takeaway

This town hall highlighted the ongoing challenges facing veterans in Southern Nevada, from accessing healthcare to addressing homelessness. While progress has been made, there is still work to be done to ensure all veterans can easily access the resources and support they have earned through their service.