Victory Village
Victory Village is a twelve unit permanent affordable rental housing cluster of three quad-plexes occupied by homeless, disabled veterans. The project is located on a two-acre parcel located on Rock Pit Road in Titusville Florida.
A formerly homeless disabled veteran
Funding was secured through Brevard County’s Housing and Human Services Department (HUD HOME Investment Partnership Program entitlement grant funding), US Department of Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care Supportive Housing Program funding and the Florida Department of Children and Families Homeless Housing Assistance Grant Program and generous donations from local civic organizations, local church networks, and local veteran groups. Total budget for development of Victory Village was $1,208,750.00. This creative layering of funding allowed the Coalition for the Hungry and Homeless of Brevard County, Inc. (the Coalition) to avoid long-term debt financing that would limit the affordability of the units to extremely low income residents.
The Coalition, through its WIN (When In Need)/Vet Program, provides transitional housing to eligible homeless veterans. This program includes comprehensive case management, drug/alcohol addiction counseling, provision of transportation, referral to mental health and medical treatment and other services as needed by individual participants.
Victory Village Homes for Heroes
The completion of the 12 units of permanent housing provided by Victory Village provides a seamless outlet for participants who have completed all required elements of the transitional housing program to advance to permanent rental housing, further increasing their self-sufficiency.
Through existing partnerships with support service agencies, the Coalition is able to continue to offer support services to Victory Village residents. Unlike in the Coalition’s transitional housing program, Victory Village promotes independence and although recommended and available, services to Victory Village tenants are not required for tenancy. Only upon request, the following services/assistance is available:
- Food and meals
- Homebuyer education and credit counseling
- Clothing
- Medical care, prescription assistance
- Employment training and employment case management
- Legal services
Victory Village maintains an on-site management office that also serves as the offices of the WIN/Vet transitional housing program. This availability of referral and service provide an extra measure of security and comfort to the disabled veterans served.
Girl Scouts help plant flowers
The Coalition creatively configured the units at Victory Village to maximize privacy and uniqueness of each individual unit while providing a tranquil and secure campus-type environment for the disabled veterans. Due to the nature of their disabilities, most veterans at Victory Village are not employed and spend most of their time on the site.
The veterans residing at Victory Village pay an affordable rent (not exceeding 30% of gross monthly income). A significant number of the intended veteran residents are receiving only disability income in the amount of $880.00 per month due to the severe nature of their disability. These disabled veterans will have very little opportunity to increase their monthly income through employment and in compliance with the federal definition of “affordable” rental housing, will pay no more than $264.00 per month.
Because the Coalition’s WIN/Vet staff also occupies space in the on-site Victory Village office, the residents at Victory Village are often given opportunities they wouldn’t have if not for this combined office staffing. The WIN/Vet transitional housing program is intensive and inclusive. Victory Village residents are invited to ride along for shopping trips, medical appointments at the local VA clinic, and other field trips and excursions when space allows.
Although substantially funded for development, Victory Village does not receive support for continued operational costs. Victory Village currently has operating costs that exceed the anticipated revenue through collection of rents. Long term sustainability of the project is contingent upon local community and private individual donor support.