Danbury to get assistance to house 15 more homeless vets

August 31 2010

 

Vinti Singh, Staff Writer
DANBURY -- For the first time, Danbury will receive 15 federal housing vouchers to take homeless veterans off the streets, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy announced Monday.
"We make a promise to our soldiers when we ask them to fight for our country," Murphy said. "... And then we don't live up to it. We need to take care of our veterans when they return home."
Murphy made the announcement in front of Vet House I, a housing project on New Street that provides beds for 10 veterans. Seven people, mostly Vietnam war vets, live in the house now, and two more are expected to move in soon.
The vouchers, funded by the federal Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development departments, are similar to Section 8 housing. The occupant pays a rent based on income.
Murphy also secured $190,000 to fund renovations to the house next door, which will become Vet House II. It will house three veterans and their families, and one apartment will be handicapped accessible.
The rest of the $325,000 project is being funded by another federal grant and a $25,000 commitment from the city.
Danbury has been a leader in providing shelter for homeless veterans, Murphy said, and it serves as a model for other cities.
Murphy toured the veterans' living quarters. Rocco Catalano, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1970s, offered him a cup of espresso when he stepped into the kitchen.
"It's a really nice place to live," Catalano said, but he is frustrated because even with 20 years of experience as a heavy equipment operator, he can't find a job.
Vietnam war veteran Raymond Brandtmeyer lives in Vet House I. He worked in retail for 40 years, but after losing his job and conflicts with his landlord, he became homeless a year and a half ago.
After moving into the Vet House, he used his unemployment checks to attend culinary school in New Milford and is looking for a job. He volunteers with CityCenter Danbury.
"No one wants to hire an old person," Brandtmeyer said.
The veterans can live in the house up to two years, said Paul Valeri, president of the Nonnprofit Development Center. The apartments have hardwood floors and are equipped with washing machines and dryers.
The vets, who must be honorably discharged, are given full room and board, which includes furniture, linens, cookware and food. They are also provided social services. A zero-tolerance policy on drugs and alcohol is strictly enforced.
"You pay a little more to put supports around these guys, but it saves a ton of money," Murphy said.
Vet House I was funded through federal grants and donations from the city, the Danbury Housing Authority, and the Nonprofit Development Center.
"We had so many entities stepping forward to assist," Valeri said.
Connecticut has close to 2,000 homeless veterans, Valeri said, including an increasing number of young female veterans. In the past six months the state has opened 40 new beds.
Paul Helfer, who served in the Air Force, ran a successful satellite TV installation business in the 1980s. He had it all, he said, and even bought a personal airplane. But then he lost it all and was homeless for eight years, first living out of his van, then sleeping on a mattress in the back of a cell phone store.
Since living in Vet House I, he has been doing satellite maintenance handiwork, which is not enough to make a living. But he was recently offered a job opportunity that he thinks might be more profitable than the satellites in the 1980s.
"I will get a plane again," Halfer said. "I will get to go back in the sky and prosper. I was at the bottom. This house is a stepping stone to get back to the top."

 

Vinti Singh, Staff Writer

DANBURY -- For the first time, Danbury will receive 15 federal housing vouchers to take homeless veterans off the streets, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy announced Monday.

"We make a promise to our soldiers when we ask them to fight for our country," Murphy said. "... And then we don't live up to it. We need to take care of our veterans when they return home."

Murphy made the announcement in front of Vet House I, a housing project on New Street that provides beds for 10 veterans. Seven people, mostly Vietnam war vets, live in the house now, and two more are expected to move in soon.

The vouchers, funded by the federal Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development departments, are similar to Section 8 housing. The occupant pays a rent based on income.

Murphy also secured $190,000 to fund renovations to the house next door, which will become Vet House II. It will house three veterans and their families, and one apartment will be handicapped accessible.

The rest of the $325,000 project is being funded by another federal grant and a $25,000 commitment from the city.

Danbury has been a leader in providing shelter for homeless veterans, Murphy said, and it serves as a model for other cities.

Murphy toured the veterans' living quarters. Rocco Catalano, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1970s, offered him a cup of espresso when he stepped into the kitchen.

"It's a really nice place to live," Catalano said, but he is frustrated because even with 20 years of experience as a heavy equipment operator, he can't find a job.

Vietnam war veteran Raymond Brandtmeyer lives in Vet House I. He worked in retail for 40 years, but after losing his job and conflicts with his landlord, he became homeless a year and a half ago.

After moving into the Vet House, he used his unemployment checks to attend culinary school in New Milford and is looking for a job. He volunteers with CityCenter Danbury.

"No one wants to hire an old person," Brandtmeyer said.

The veterans can live in the house up to two years, said Paul Valeri, president of the Nonnprofit Development Center. The apartments have hardwood floors and are equipped with washing machines and dryers.

The vets, who must be honorably discharged, are given full room and board, which includes furniture, linens, cookware and food. They are also provided social services. A zero-tolerance policy on drugs and alcohol is strictly enforced.

"You pay a little more to put supports around these guys, but it saves a ton of money," Murphy said.

Vet House I was funded through federal grants and donations from the city, the Danbury Housing Authority, and the Nonprofit Development Center.

"We had so many entities stepping forward to assist," Valeri said.

Connecticut has close to 2,000 homeless veterans, Valeri said, including an increasing number of young female veterans. In the past six months the state has opened 40 new beds.

Paul Helfer, who served in the Air Force, ran a successful satellite TV installation business in the 1980s. He had it all, he said, and even bought a personal airplane. But then he lost it all and was homeless for eight years, first living out of his van, then sleeping on a mattress in the back of a cell phone store.

Since living in Vet House I, he has been doing satellite maintenance handiwork, which is not enough to make a living. But he was recently offered a job opportunity that he thinks might be more profitable than the satellites in the 1980s.

"I will get a plane again," Halfer said. "I will get to go back in the sky and prosper. I was at the bottom. This house is a stepping stone to get back to the top."