BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Richard C. David today announced construction of a 10-unit homeless veterans housing project at 27 Pine St. in Binghamton, the latest effort of Mayor David’s Blue Ribbon Commission to End Veteran Homelessness.
“As the first U.S. city to end veteran homelessness, this project represents Binghamton’s continuing and long-term commitment to support veterans in need,” said Mayor David. “It is our moral and patriotic obligation to care for those who protect our freedom. We’re creating a safe home that takes homeless veterans off the streets and connects them with the support services they need. I couldn’t be more proud of this initiative and what it says about the City of Binghamton and its partners being on the front lines of this national priority.”
The $408,000 rehabilitation project at 27 Pine St. includes 10 one-bedroom apartments and resident meeting space for support services.
The project is a partnership between the City of Binghamton and local non-profit Opportunities for Broome, which owns the building. The City has allocated $240,000 of its federal affordable housing entitlement for the project while Opportunities for Broome will manage the site and coordinate support services such as job placement and substance abuse counseling for the veteran tenants.
There are many reasons veterans can become homeless, including poverty, substance use, or mental health challenges that develop or worsen as a result of trauma they experience while serving.
In Nov. 2014, federal officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Binghamton as the first U.S. city to successfully answer a White House Challenge To End Veteran Homelessness. Through the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission with local experts in veteran support services and homelessness, the City had identified 21 homeless veterans and created an individualized housing plan for each. The Commission committed to continuously monitor the number of homeless veterans in Binghamton and focus resources to connect these individuals with housing.
The 27 Pine St. project is a substantial investment to support that effort, establishing a homeless veteran housing option for decades to come. Construction is scheduled to be complete in Feb. 2017.
“We are very pleased that Opportunities for Broome could be part of the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness,” said Mark Silvanic, Opportunities for Broome Executive Director. “We look forward to the project’s completion and are thankful to Mayor David and the City of Binghamton, the United Way, VOA, the Homeless Coalition of the Southern Tier, and many others, for their tireless efforts on moving this project forward.”
In addition to City resources, the project was funded through a coalition of government and nonprofit partners.
The Broome County Veterans Services Agency provided $89,500. “This new home is one more way that we will help our veterans, who sacrificed so much for us,” said Broome County Executive Debbie Preston. “What better way than to invest in a place for homeless veterans to live and I want to thank our partners at the City, Opportunities for Broome and others for making this project a reality.”
The United Way of Broome County provided $62,500. “The United Way of Broome is proud to partner with Opportunities For Broome and the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran’s Homelessness,” said Robin Alpaugh, United Way of Broome County Executive Director. “Helping to ensure that no veteran is without a place to stay is part of United Way’s commitment to facilitate real community impact and help provide basic needs to those that have served our country,”
The Southern Tier Veterans Support Group provided $16,000. “The Southern Tier Veterans Support Group is proud to have been an active member of the Mayor’s Challenge Committee from its beginning,” said Al Eaton, President, Southern Tier Veterans Support Group.” We are excited to see the completion of this project at 27 Pine Street and happy to have purchased the washers and dryers for the Veterans who will live there. We will continue to support this initiative to ensure there are no homeless Veterans in our community.
As the project location is one block from the state-of-the-art U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health clinic at 203 Court St. scheduled to open in 2017, partnerships with the VA are critical to the initiative’s long-term success.
“Syracuse VA’s homeless program applauds all initiatives that increases housing options for the Veterans that we serve,” said Shira Liddington, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Social Worker. “We look forward to working with 27 Pine Street.”
