Housing help for vets in the works
The City Council on Tuesday unanimously signed off on plans to acquire an 11-unit residential complex to provide affordable transitional housing to homeless veterans.
The cost to acquire and rehabilitate the property, and relocate its current tenants, is $2.7 million, the majority of which will be funded by federal affordable housing funds and the Burbank Housing Corp., according to city officials.
The property includes four buildings and a courtyard located at 1101 W. Verdugo Ave. and 1108 W. Angeleno Ave. Each one-bedroom unit is roughly 580 square feet.
City officials said the demand for the program is high since 25 homeless veterans reside in Burbank, according to a recent study.
“Data suggests there is a need to help these veterans, get them off the streets,” said project manager Ross Young.
The idea is to provide housing and support services — including vocational training and job placement — for a period of two years, at which point the veterans are expected to find permanent housing. Ten one-bedroom units will be made available, with the last unit reserved for a program director, Young said.
“I am so supportive of this,” said Councilman Gary Bric. “It’s something that we owe our veterans.”
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Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.
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