BURBANK
Homeless veterans find a welcome mat at new apartments
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BURBANK»_space; U.S. Army veteran Bruce Waite had worked security for such companies as Lockheed Corp. and 3M and lived in a three-bedroom house with a large swimming pool.
Then he had a massive heart attack, lost it all and ended up living in his Ford F-150 pickup.
No more. The 60-year-old San Fernando Valley veteran was the first resident to move into a fully furnished, affordable Burbank apartment courtesy of the city, nonprofits that help veterans and a village of community donors and volunteers.
“This is paradise,” declared Waite, the father of a 30-year-old special needs adult, just before a grand opening ceremony Thursday of Burbank
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Veteran Bungalows, a permanent supported housing complex. “This looks like Valencia, or “Leave it to Beaver.” “People are so k ind.”
He was among nearly a dozen formerly homeless U.S. servicemen to find affordable digs at the $3 million apartment complex between West Verdugo and West Angeleno avenues, painted gray and Cape Cod blue and furnished by a small army of Burbank volunteers.
The 11-unit refurbished apartment complex, developed by the nonprofit Burbank Housing Corp., was made possible through a combination of loans and more than $1.5 million in city funds. The average cost of a unit comes to $273,000.
The single-story double row of bungalows will be managed by New Directions for Veterans, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides services for veterans, including substance abuse treatment and job training.
The afternoon dedication drew an estimated 200 city, state and federal officials and local residents, many who had rolled up their sleeves over the past 2½ years to see it through.
“This is one of the most fantastic community events in Burbank — and I’ve been here 60 years,” said Peter McGrath, president of Burbank Housing Corp., a $5.3 million agency that has built affordable housing complexes across the city. “Veteran homelessness is a national disgrace.
“The city of Burbank and BHC are proud to do what we can to serve those who served and who now need help in stabilizing their lives.”
Despite a national campaign to end homelessness for U.S. servicemen and women, the number of homeless veterans has remained steady at roughly 4,000 across the region.
Only Los Angeles County vets have higher rates of chronic homelessness and disabilities, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. And they are aging. Their average age is 54.
Officials praised Burbank and its supporters for creating badly needed supportive housing for veterans in what they said should be a model for the entire nation.
“We have two words to say to our new residents,” said Burbank Mayor Bob Frutos. “Welcome home.”
The Burbank Veteran Bungalows were made possible through a private- public partnership between the city of Burbank, Burbank Housing Corp., New Directions for Veterans, the state Department of Housing and Community Development, ProAmerica Bank, the Home Depot Foundation, county Supervisor Michael Antonovich and dozens of local donors and volunteers.
Last year, volunteers from churches and local agencies built Ikea furniture and installed dishes, blinds and tchotchkes for each apartment.
“Burbank is clearly a model for all other cities to follow,” said Jamie Cannon, manager of quality assurance for the VA Greater Los Angeles. “The only way to end homelessness is to have homes.”
Such homes, however, have not been without controversy.
Three years ago, New Directions and a nonprofit builder opened New Directions Sepulveda, a $49 million permanent supportive housing project for U.S. veterans at the Sepulveda VA in North Hills. The cost per unit at two refurbished former medical buildings was $322,000.
The first such project built on veterans land in California, the 147-unit apartment complex had drawn years of intense opposition from Valley residents and veterans groups who said it would further erode health care services at the Sepulveda VA.
But for those veterans who’d finally found a roof in Burbank, such concerns were irrelevant. When Waite became homeless two years ago, he hadn’t reached out to the VA in decades. But reach out he did — and ultimately found a hearth at Burbank Veterans Bungalows.
“Thank you for your hard work,” he said, his voice breaking, as he leaned upon his cane. “I’m beginning a new life here. And not just me, but my son. Thank all of you.”
Jack Hartman stands on the front porch of his new home saluting a U.S. Army Color Guard at the dedication ceremony Thursday. The Burbank Housing Corp. held a grand opening and dedication ceremony for its latest completed project.
JOHN MCCOY — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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Copyright © 2016 Los Angeles Daily News 04/01/2016
