The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Julián Castro, visited Philadelphia to announced the city has effectively ended veteran homelessness by ensuring 1,390 Philadelphia veterans have access to housing and services.

On Thursday, Castro, who was joined by Mayor Michael Nutter and other city officials at a press conference, stated that over the past five years nationally veterans homelessness declined by 33 percent.

He added that Philadelphia now has a role to play in teaching other communities and sharing best practices as they reach for that finish line. “We can't stop our work until every single veteran has a place to call home in the United States.”

“I hope that in the months and years to come that Philadelphia would use the lessons that you have learned in this challenge that ends homelessness throughout the city for everybody,” Castro said.

The effort was spearheaded as part of the Mayors Challenge issued by First Lady Michelle Obama set a goal of preventing and ending homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015.

Philadelphia collaborated with the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and other service providers in the region — a coalition also known as PhillyVetsHomes — to accomplish this goal.

Marie S. Nahikian, the city's director of supportive housing, said that currently there are 600 chronically homeless people in Philadelphia.

Nutter said there are still 15 veterans on the street because they don’t want to be housed.

"I have a message for each of you who are still out there," Nutter said. "We honor your service and your sacrifices. You deserve a home. We won't give up on you."