I am a 100% disabled retired Army Officer who decided to lend a helping hand to homeless veterans by setting up a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, Phoenix Rising Center for Veterans, Inc, for that purpose. I currently have 20 beds (two houses in Decatur, GA that’s providing housing, supportive services, and independent skill training) for female veterans and 10 beds in a house located in Marietta, GA providing the same services to male veterans. The houses in Decatur are on public transportation line whereas the one in Marietta, we provide van transport to and from the bus station. Our transportation schedule is running smoothly. At the request of the Homeless Veteran Program, East Point, GA. I prepared two additional houses to house four homeless male and ten homeless female veterans (renovated the houses, added sprinkler system, fire alarm system, wired in smoke detectors, furnished fully with two beds and two dressers per bedroom, put two refrigerators in the kitchen, furnished dining rooms to accommodate the number of veterans to be assigned to each house, provided washer and dryer, added a rear deck for smokers, remove all the carpets and installed hardwood floors and ceramic tile, etc.) One house located in Powder Springs, GA was prepared to house 10 veterans and a resident manager and one located in Sandy Springs, GA, four veterans and a resident manager. After all the work was completed and the houses were fully furnished and ready to be inspected by VA, I’m told that they do not need the houses. In fact, the house in Sandy Springs was inspected by the VA Safety Officer and it passed the inspection . Frankly, I have never had a house to fail an inspection. The houses have been sitting empty with the promise that they would be inspected soon. After seven months I pressed them for an answer and was told that the houses are not needed. Yet there is a large backlog of homeless veterans waiting for a place to call home. One reason given for not using the Powder Springs house is that it would present a transportation challenge. True, it would present an additional expense on Phoenix Rising because we would have to transport the veterans to and from the bus station but we already have experience in providing that service since we’re providing the same service for the veterans at the Marietta house and the schedule is running smoothly. I have mortgage payments to make on these two vacant houses and property maintenance expenses. I have put them on the market for rent but there is not much demand for a fully furnished five bedroom house with eleven beds and a two bedroom house with four beds. There are still homeless veterans that need a home like the ones that we provide. We are located in well maintained neighborhoods and our residents are assigned chores to keep their respective house clean, neat, and comfortable with emphasis on maintaining a home-like environment. I used my VA pension and disability income to get the houses ready to house homeless veterans and now I have to continue to use such income to make mortgage payments and to maintain these now vacant properties. I had Section 8 tenants in the houses that I released in preference for taking care of our veterans and now I’m left holding the bag so to speak. I am a single parent with six adopted children, the two youngest being two and five years old. I need my money to care for my family instead of paying for expenses that VA staff has caused me to incur. My two year old needs major surgery to straighten out his legs. His pediatrician recommended that the surgery be done when he turns two but he’s now almost three and I cannot have the surgery done until I am able to save the money needed for my co-pay. I need VA to reimburse me for the expenses that their staff has so callously caused. One of the VA staff has advised me to remove the furniture, place in storage and put the houses back on the Section 8 market. In that case, I’ll have a monthly storage bill. With your experience with helping military families, is there anything that you can do to help solve my problem? VA has certainly created a phenomenal problem for me. I’m of the opinion that VA should reimburse me for all my expenses associated with the issues that they have caused. Awaiting your response. Thank you kindly.

Ida Richard
Executive Director
Phoenix Rising Center
2799 Brookcliff Landing
Marietta, GA 30062
770-875-1335