Quincy, MA - Mayor James A. Sheets

Quincy Veterans Home

The Quincy Veterans Home provides safe, sanitary, affordable, supportive and permanent housing for eight homeless veterans; it also provides them the first step toward self-sufficiency.

The Veterans Home project required extensive rehabilitation of a boarded-up structure behind Quincy City Hall. During the 1950s and 1960s, the building had operated as an illegal rooming house with overcrowded, substandard living conditions. In 1994, it was damaged by fire and subsequently condemned. Because it was well-located, given its proximity to public transportation, City officials believed the facility had the potential to be renovated into eight single room occupancy units.

City of Quincy CDBG funds of $110,000 were made available for the project; these funds were used successfully to leverage additional funds: $110,000 from the State HOME program, $60,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank, and $110,000 from private lenders. In addition, a local foundation provided $7,500, there were private donations totaling $5,000, and $10,000 in volunteer labor was contributed to the effort. The City used the CDBG funds and the HOME funds for both acquisition and rehabilitation. All of the other funds went toward rehabilitation.

Completed in March 1998, the Veterans Home represents the first collaboration between two non-profit agencies: Quincy Neighborhood Housing Services, an affordable housing agency, and Quincy Interfaith Sheltering Coalition, the largest homeless shelter south of Boston, which manages the facility and provides services to its resident. The first facility of its kind for veterans on the South Shore, it provides support services such as alcohol/substance abuse counseling, employment training, and psychological counseling. The affordability of the units was guaranteed through the 10-year Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation (SRO) funds secured under the McKinney Homeless Assistance Program.

Contact: Richard H. Meade, Director, Department of Planning and Community Development, (617) 376-1365

The United States Conference of Mayors

J. Thomas Cochran, Executive Director
1620 Eye Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006
Telephone (202) 293-7330, FAX (202) 293-2352

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