Norman Cole, the authority’s director of planning and development, said there has been a growing need for housing for low-income veterans here and elsewhere in the country.
“The federal government has a mandate to eliminate all veteran homelessness. It’s one of the major initiatives of the federal government as well as the state,’’ he said.
“We think [our project is] a little bit unique because we are not just talking about homeless individual veterans but veteran families,’’ he added.
Cole said that in addition to providing low-cost housing opportunities for veterans, the proposed development “really completes the revitalization of that area.’’
He said the property eyed for the housing, 472 Essex St., is near to High Rock Park, which the city has been restoring over the past decade; the new Girls Inc. headquarters, located in a restored school building; and the Cobbett Hill Apartments, a private affordable housing development in another restored school building.
The City Council’s Veterans, Youth, and Elderly Committee on Jan. 24 voted 5-0 to offer its informal support for the project. Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy has also expressed support, according to Cole.
“It’s something that is still in its infancy stages, but you want to make sure it’s something the city is supportive of’’ before proceeding further, Cole said.
With that backing in hand, he said the authority is trying to firm up cost figures for the project, currently estimated at $4 million to $5 million. He said it will then begin exploring public and private funding sources.
Cole said the housing authority does not currently manage any veteran-specific housing, although the tenant population in its properties includes many veterans. The authority does subsidize the rents of about 32 veterans and chronically homeless individuals who live in a rooming house at 33 High St., behind the proposed development site. There is also a private program on Essex Street that provides housing for veterans with psychiatric disabilities.
