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A8 REGIONAL Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, November 17, 2021 New housing gives veterans a brand-new home and a fresh start By DAVIS CARBAUGH The Observer LA GRANDE — For local veterans, a new hous- ing area in La Grande off ers a chance for a clean slate. Veteran’s Village Union County, a micro-neighbor- hood of cottage-style homes, opened its doors to several veterans in need of hous- ing Wednesday, Nov. 3. The new homes provide home- less or low-income veter- ans with a safe, communi- ty-style living environment. “This is my savior here, this place,” local Army vet- eran Dennis Scudder said. “It’s a new place and a brand-new start.” The village, on the cor- ner of Russell Avenue and North Pine Street, features small fully furnished homes. Each unit includes a bed- room, living room, ameni- ties and a fenced backyard. The fi rst three units are com- pleted and have new occu- pants, while construction on the remaining seven houses is still wrapping up. Alex Wittwer/The Observer Workers put on the fi nishing touches for the cottage-style homes at Veteran’s Village Union County on Russell Avenue in La Grande on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The aff ordable housing project is nearing completion and residents are beginning to move in. Creating a community Gust Tsiatsos, owner of GCT Land Management, spearheaded the project after seeing a need for aff ordable housing in La Grande. The project involves Veterans Aff airs, which fi nds veter- ans who meet the guidelines to live in the village, and Northeast Oregon Housing Authority is set to manage the property. “The need was sub- stantial after we did some research on what that need really looks like,” Tsiatsos said. “We just tried to cre- ate a community feel where they would be living with similar types of folks.” Brian Blais, the Veter- ans Services Offi cer at the Center for Human Devel- opment, conducts the gen- eral screening process and worked closely with Tsiatsos in the planning process. He emphasized that there is a major need for aid to home- less veterans. “The housing shortage isn’t a veteran-specifi c prob- lem by any means, but it is estimated that there are over 1,300 homeless veterans in Oregon, and I am hon- ored to be able to support my brothers and sisters who served our country,” Blais said. “Working with Gust has been an amazing experi- ence, and I look forward to continuing the work that we do.” The project is roughly 75% grant funded, accord- ing to Tsiatsos. The bulk of that funding came from Ore- gon Housing and Commu- nity Services. Tsiatsos noted that there is specifi c grant funding for veterans in rural areas, which helped the Vet- eran’s Village Union County score very well in the grant application process. A major goal of the hous- ing project is to foster a community of individu- als with similar life experi- ences. Tsiatsos said the setup of the village allows the vet- erans to be as social as they would like, or have privacy if that is preferred. “We have learned that this population of people has an interest in being in a more private setting and more of a closed community,” he said. “We situated all the houses facing in and put up a pri- vate fence around it. We’re hoping that a small, con- trolled space will be good for that demographic.” Save 50% on heating costs this winter with Rinnai Propane Heaters!* Heaters and other HVAC Parts & Services not just propane! *Addtional rebates up to $100 apply . East Hwy 82 Ed Staub & Sons Enterprise, OR 201 • 541-426-0320 Energy Community Service. Alex Wittwer/The Observer Dennis Scudder, an Army veteran, looks over his new neighborhood in La Grande on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Scudder bounced between temporary housing solutions before moving into Veteran’s Village Union County, a new community of cottage-style homes. Upon moving into his new home, Scudder echoed Tsiatsos’ sentiment. “I am looking for a clean and sober place,” Scudder said. “Us veterans here try to stick together. There are a lot of veterans, including myself, that have issues.” The Army veteran said he deals with PTSD and fi nds that being around other like-minded individu- als is a major positive. The U.S. Department of Veterans Aff airs estimates that any- where from 10% to 20% of all veterans live with PTSD. A long-term home Scudder was homeless prior to moving into Veter- an’s Village Union County, and he said there are many other veterans struggling. Scudder emphasized that the village gives a fresh start to veterans who need a safe and reliable place to live. “No drugs or anything are allowed. This is the per- fect environment,” he said. “I’m not a people person. My issues are more of a per- sonal matter. Being around other veterans will be nice. I couldn’t ask for more. I’m so happy.” Tsiatsos noted that a vital part of the project is to create permanent housing instead of a temporary stay. “We wanted it to be a place someone could call home for 20 years,” he said. “We’re hoping to create an environment where people will live long term.” Scudder found out about the veterans village through his VA social worker, Angel Smith. Through a program called HUD-VASH, vet- erans go through a screen- ing process similar to the Section 8 housing process. The program guides veter- ans in need of rental assis- tance who have experienced homelessness. The housing authority does the fi nancial screen- ing and background checks, while Smith provides ongo- ing case management, drug and alcohol counseling and any other services the veter- ans may need for at least a year after fi nding a new res- idence. The aim is to make sure the veterans are able to stay successfully housed. “It really is a great pro- gram for veterans,” Smith said. The HUD-VASH pro- gram bases rental rates on gross monthly income adjusted according to the individual’s needs, includ- ing obstacles such as men- tal health, drug and alco- hol abuse or physical disabilities. For the soon-to-be 10 vet- erans residing in the village, the opportunity for commu- nity and camaraderie will be a key feature of daily life. The community center at the front of the village will pro- vide a shared space where the residents can mingle if they choose. “It helps promote an environment where veter- ans can help each other out,” Blais said. Scudder is looking for- ward to playing pool and hanging out in the commu- nity center, where the veter- ans in the village can meet up and socialize. “For a lot of the veterans that have sobriety issues, you don’t have to go out to the bar to play some pool. You can stay right here,” Scudder said. Gold standard Tsiatsos said he thinks Veteran’s Village Union County is a model that other communities can mir- ror to alleviate veteran homelessness. “We’re hoping that maybe other communities will come see this and try to model a similar design. It doesn’t have to be perma- nent, but I think permanent housing is more rare than transitional, so to me there’s more value to a community there,” Tsiatsos said. “I think once people see that and see that the livability is sustain- able, then it might be some- thing other communities will want to do.” Having been homeless himself and knowing many veterans who face similar issues, Scudder emphasized that communities like Veter- an’s Village Union County can be life changing. “I feel like a whole per- son again,” Scudder said. “I can’t tell you how excited and thrilled I feel.” GCT Land Management is in the process of creat- ing another veterans village in Baker City, which will include nine one-bedroom homes and three two-bed- room homes. The city of La Grande and the planning commis- sion adopted a code change in 2018 that allowed for the construction of cottage-style homes and small dwelling units. Tsiatsos was the fi rst to make major plans after the code change, bringing the veterans village to life. “It’s one of those things Gust became more and more passionate about and got a lot of folks behind it,” La Grande Commu- nity Development Direc- tor Mike Boquist said. “The city is very supportive of his project.” Boquist noted that the village helps mitigate the need for aff ordable housing in La Grande, especially for those who are semi-home- less or on the verge of homelessness. “I think it’s a good start,” Boquist said. “Hopefully other people will see this and take advantage of it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be for the same housing market or clientele.” Smith also would like Union County Veteran’s Vil- lage to set a precedent for what can be done to create aff ordable housing. “We’re working with the state to kind of make this the gold standard,” she said. “It’s spreading and there is a lot of interest in the state in places like this. It’s really exciting.” A new beginning For Scudder and the future veteran tenants of the village, the micro-neigh- borhood provides an essen- tial piece in getting back on one’s feet — a place to call home. With the goal of creat- ing a model to help vet- eran homelessness around the state, Tsiatsos has spo- ken with other communities about similar possibilities. “Most of the communi- ties now have the cottage home ordinance in place, so they can bring that den- sity into their communi- ties because housing is in such short supply across the nation right now,” he said. “Being able to fi nd some- thing like this that’s per- manent isn’t always readily available.” GCT Land Management is undertaking a tiny home initiative, which will send supplies necessary to create cottage-style homes in other communities that model Veteran’s Village Union County. The aff ordability can benefi t not just veter- ans, but anyone in need of housing. At La Grande’s newest neighborhood, hopes are high for the future of the vil- lage and its residents. “I’m really happy with the place,” Scudder said. “I wish they would do this for more people. It’s great.” BARGAINS OF THE MONTH ® While supplies last. 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