Construction is underway on a new housing development in Clermont County that will give veterans experiencing homelessness an affordable, supportive place to live.
Leaders broke ground Tuesday on Veterans Village in Monroe Township. The development is located on 15 acres of land next to Mt. Holly Christian Church. It will include 19 housing units for individuals and small families, as well as a community center with on-site services from the VA.
"We are creating a community where veterans will have safe, affordable housing, access to the services they deserve, and neighbors who understand their journey," said Alicia Morlatt, executive director of Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority.
The development aims to meet an important need, Morlatt says.
Veterans account for about 5% of all adults experiencing homelessness across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In Greater Cincinnati, there are an estimated 300 homeless veterans, and hundreds more living in inadequate housing conditions.
Morlatt says many of those people in Clermont County don’t have access to a homeless shelter or other resources nearby — they have to travel to Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky for services.
That will change once Veterans Village is completed.
“Being able to stay and have housing here – that's the most ideal scenario, because they can stay close to their friends and family,” Morlatt said.
Units in the development will be subsidized through the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program. Residents will be required to pay no more than 30% of their income to rent. Clermont Metropolitan Housing Authority will pay for utilities. People will be able to live in Veterans Village for as long as they need.
Clermont County Commission President Bonnie Batchler championed the project.
“This is just the beginning,” Batchler said. “There is room to expand on this property and serve even more veterans in need.”
The $10.6 million project is being funded, in part, by the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Construction is set to wrap up by late 2027. Veterans are expected to begin moving in during 2028.
Similar project takes root in Cincinnati
Another “veterans village” is in the works in Cincinnati.
Nonprofit Tiny Homes for Humanity is planning to build 14 tiny homes for homeless veterans on the lot behind Madisonville's Gaines United Methodist Church, our news partner WCPO reports.
The development would combine affordable housing with wraparound services on-site, from healthcare to job skills training.
The Hamilton County Veterans Service Commission has backed the project and contributed $20,000, according to WCPO.
Tiny Homes for Humanity is working to raise $750,000 to unlock a $1 million grant from Hamilton County to move the project forward.
Read more: