At the Veterans Center of Hoboken, a homeless veteran doesn’t just get an apartment. They get a post full of fellow veterans one floor down.
It’s a unique model aimed at combating homelessness. And one that is about to grow.
The Veterans Center, a nonprofit affiliated with American Legion Tom Kennedy Hoboken Post 107, broke ground on an 18-apartment expansion that will quadruple its housing for veterans experiencing homelessness, from six apartments to 24.
Commander John Carey said the goal is simple.
“No one who served our country should have to wonder where they will sleep tonight,” he said. “With this expansion, we can end veteran homelessness in Hudson County.”
Finance Officer Mark Luis Villamar said the setup is what sets the center apart.
“What sets this model apart is combining housing with an active American Legion post, giving residents a built-in community of fellow veterans,” he said. “They can come downstairs and find friendship, support and people who understand what they’ve been through.”
The project traces back to Superstorm Sandy, which in 2012 put Post 107’s headquarters under more than 6 feet of water.
The post rebuilt, and in 2019 opened Phase I: a flood-resistant building with its headquarters, meeting hall and library on the second floor, above street level, and six furnished apartments for homeless veterans on floors three through five.
Phase II will extend the building onto a former city parking lot that Hoboken made available through a ground lease. The five-story addition, about 20,000 square feet, will hold 15 studios and three one-bedroom apartments, with six units on each residential floor. Each apartment will have its own kitchen.
The lower floors will include a social hall, lounge, kitchen, offices, and meeting and counseling rooms. Every floor will connect to the existing Legion building. Plans also call for a rooftop solar array and flood-proofing.
Soldier On, a nonprofit focused on ending veteran homelessness, will provide services to help residents stay housed: case management, help with veterans benefits, health and behavioral health care, meals, transportation, and education and employment support.
“Ending veteran homelessness takes more than providing a roof over someone’s head”, said Bruce Buckley, CEO of Soldier On. “It means making sure veterans have the support they need to build stable, independent lives.”
Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Navy veteran, said the project fits the state’s commitment.
“As a Navy veteran, I know everyone who has served our country deserves a safe and stable place to call home,” she said in a statement.
State Sen. Raj Mukherji (D-32nd Dist.), Chairman of the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, put it more bluntly.
“The phrase ‘homeless veteran’ should not exist,” he said.
The project is funded by state, federal, local and private sources, including:
- $3 million from the state’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, administered by the Department of Community Affairs;
- $1.5 million in federal HOME Investment Partnerships financing, administered by Hudson County;
- $1.44 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s Affordable Housing Program, through BCB Community Bank;
- $25,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds from Hoboken for demolition.
Private supporters include the JBJ Soul Foundation, the Orlofsky Family, Wakefern/ShopRite, the Bank of America Foundation, the Fulton Bank Blue Foundry Foundation, the Veterans United Foundation and Walmart, among others. Monarch Housing Associates is the development consultant.
Vincent Solomeno, Commissioner of the state Department of Veterans Affairs, said the project shows what partnerships can do.
“Under Gov. Sherrill’s leadership, New Jersey is committed to ensuring that Garden State heroes have access to quality, stable housing,” he said. “This project demonstrates what’s possible when public and private partners work together to house every veteran who calls our state home.”
Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour, whose city provided the land, said the project reflects the community.
“Strong communities are built by showing up for one another, and we have a responsibility to ensure our veterans are supported and valued,” she said. “This groundbreaking is a testament to what we can accomplish when we come together to ensure our veterans have a place to call home and a community they can count on.”
Taiisa Kelly, CEO of Monarch Housing Associates, the project’s development consultant, said the work is a chance to give back to those who served.
“We are honored to work with the Hoboken American Legion Post 107 to make this a reality for 18 veterans — men and women who have chosen a life of service to this country,” she said. “It is now our opportunity to be of service to them and ensure they have a safe place to call home.”
