El Monte Debuts Affordable Housing 'Village' For Homeless Veterans
EL MONTE (CBSLA.com) — Officials with the city of El Monte will host a grand opening celebration Wednesday for the San Gabriel Valley's first affordable housing community specifically for homeless veterans.
The opening of El Monte Veterans Village will feature a flyover by the Condor Squadron, a group of vintage World War II A-6 airplanes, and a special performance by the Marine Corps Band in honor of local veterans and to showcase El Monte's advocacy for veterans' issues.
The $12 million, 40-unit development - which was created through the city's partnership with Mercy Housing and New Directions for Veterans - includes a three-story facility at Stewart Street and Ramona Boulevard that will house 40 veterans in studio apartments, each with a bathroom and kitchen, private balconies, an outdoor stone fireplace and other community gathering spaces.
In addition to addressing housing issues for veterans, the Village will also offer veterans case management, health and wellness programs, job training, family reunification and legal services, transportation support and other on-site services for residents.
"We're out on the streets everyday searching for homeless veterans," volunteer Joe Leal told KCAL9's Adrianna Weingold. "It felt really good to go out there, show them a flier and say 'This is being built for you'."
Residents were expected to start moving into Veterans Village in about 3 weeks.