New affordable-housing complex gives veterans and their families a place to call home

New affordable-housing complex gives veterans and their families a place to call home

U.S. Navy veteran Yolanda Franklin, 39, was once homeless, but now she has a home at Veteran's Village in Glendale. Franklin used to live out of her car after losing her job. Now she lives in one of the 44 units in the new complex, located on the 300 block of Salemn Street.

By Arin Mikailian

April 6, 2016 12:30 PM PT

After living on the streets and, more recently, in a friend’s garage, Army veteran and single father Joseph Garcia finally has a permanent roof over his head in a new low-income housing complex in Glendale for returning soldiers.

A grand opening was held Tuesday for Veteran’s Village, a 44-unit, affordable-housing development that is one of the first in the state designed for veterans and their families.

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U.S. Navy veteran Yolanda Franklin, 39, was once homeless, but now she has a home at Veteran’s Village in Glendale. Franklin used to live out of her car after losing her job. Now she lives in one of the 44 units in the new complex, located on the 300 block of Salemn Street.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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The newly-opened Veteran’s Village of Glendale has 44 units, ranging from one to three bedrooms.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Alisa Ee, holding 9-month old MacArthur, and her son, 2-year-old Soonshin, live in one of the 44 units in Veteran’s Village in Glendale. Ee’s husband (not pictured) is a U.S. Army veteran.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale city officials and the developers behind Veteran’s Village participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility on Tuesday, April 5, 2016.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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U.S. Army veteran Joseph Garcia and his 10-year-old old son Gabriel Giannoni-Garcia live at the newly-opened Veteran’s Village of Glendale.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian said more cities need to follow Glendale’s lead in building affordable housing for veterans.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

Garcia — a Gulf War veteran and part-time carpenter— moved in with his 10-year-old son, Gabriel, last fall. Since then, he’s been getting to know his neighbors who saw combat in other wars, he said.

“All of our guards are down. We’re like one big family,” Garcia said. “Whether people were in the Army, Air Force, Marines; we all get along together really well, and we’re always covering for each other. We’re helping each other with our kids and feeding each other.”

Garcia was one of the winners of a random lottery to pick the first residents of Veteran’s Village. More than 4,500 applications were received from all over Los Angeles County, according to Jordan Pynes, an official with the developer.

About four years ago, the city approached developer Thomas Safran & Associates with the idea of a project for veterans struggling to find a place to live.

Construction began on the $20-million development two years ago with $13.5 million coming from federal tax credits and $7 million being footed by the city of Glendale and its Housing Authority.

The property has 13 one-bedroom apartments, 16 two-bedroom units and 14 three-bedroom apartments with rents ranging from $466 to $1,292 a month.

To qualify, there is a sliding limit on household income. For example, a family of two can earn no more than $39,120; a three-member family can bring in no more than $44,040; and a four-member family can earn no more than $48,900.

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During his remarks, Mayor Ara Najarian said other cities in the county should construct their own projects similar to Veteran’s Village instead of just honoring returning soldiers and military personnel with Memorial Day parades.

“You have to devote your resources like the city of Glendale … Only then can you truly hold yourself high and say, ‘We’ve done all we can to help our veterans achieve a better life after their services to this great country,’” he said.

Veteran’s Village is Glendale’s second low-income housing project for returning soldiers, with Cypress Senior Living being the first.

Social services provider New Directions for Veterans was brought on to look after the residents at Veteran’s Village.

The nonprofit estimates that there are 4,000 homeless veterans living on the streets in L.A. County.

Thomas Safran, New Directions’ chairman, said he became involved because too many families of veterans split up.

“If you can keep the families and veterans together and support them, I don’t think there’s anything more important to do than that,” he said. “It helps them move on with their lives.”

Veterans Village resident Alisa Ee, a mother of two whose husband was a tanker in the Iraq War, said housing is key for veterans trying to adapt to life back home again.

Then there’s the added benefit when veterans and their families live side by side with other veterans’ families, she said.

“You’re surrounded by people who are like-minded and so people understand you,” Ee said. “Being able to have that community available for veterans is priceless.”

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Arin Mikailian, [email protected]

Twitter: @ArinMikailian

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Arin Mikailian was a city hall reporter for the Glendale News-Press. Aside from covering issues like development and the local impact of the drought, he also wrote about business and features. A Glendale native, he graduated from the University of Southern California.