AKRON, Ohio — A new veterans housing project is in the works to help low-income and homeless veterans in Akron.
One veteran, Andrew Livingston, spoke to News 5's Bob Jones about his experience.
"Being a veteran means a lot to me. My dad was a veteran. My brother is a veteran. My sister is a veteran, so we got a house full of veterans," Livingston said.
Livingston is a Desert Storm Army veteran who stays at the Valor Home of Summit County in Akron. It offers transitional housing for up to two years with 36 bedrooms for homeless veterans.
"Right now, they're keeping me housed until I can find a place that's suitable and something I can afford," he said.
Since his service, the former combat medic has found himself homeless several times, living on the streets, struggling to find work and dealing with mental health issues.
"I met so many other veterans on the street that I knew that there was a serious problem with veterans being homeless," he said.
Director of Development at Axess Family Services, Matt Slater, who oversees the Valor Home, said there has been a spike in veteran homelessness locally. He added that if all 36 rooms were cleared out today, Valor Home would be filled up again with veterans within weeks.
"There's job loss. There's divorce. There is mental health issues, substance abuse issues," Slater said.
Plans are in the works to build the Thompson Family Veterans Village in a field over 8 acres in size near the Valor Home. It will include 10 individual permanent homes for low-income or disabled veterans.
"We felt that it was really important for us to create homes Vets had their own space, and had their own yard," Slater said.
The $3 million project, funded by a variety of sources, including a large donation from Mike Thompson, the CEO and president of Montrose Auto Group and a Vietnam veteran.
“I am a proud Army veteran and am equally proud of my fellow Americans who have served,” Thompson said. “And because I am in a position to help some of them, I felt this was a very good cause as so many veterans are unfortunately homeless. This will provide them an opportunity they may not of otherwise had.”
"I believe that permanent housing for veterans here would be a plus," Livingston said.
Although 10 homes may seem like a small number for a big problem, the hope is to expand the village. Livingston feels a project like this is a difference maker, and he'd love to move in.
"I want to be the first one." said Livingston. "Maybe we get more veterans in places like this."
A groundbreaking ceremony for the veterans village will take place on June 25, with construction starting later this summer.
The goal is for the new housing to open up sometime in 2027.
