A year ago, officials gathered on a lot near Oceana Naval Air Station to break ground for an apartment complex for homeless veterans.
Hopes were high that the $1 million studio apartment complex would be open this summer. But nothing has happened at the site beyond those few ceremonial shovels of dirt.
Blame it on bureaucracy.
The Judeo-Christian Outreach Center acquired the land and lined up the funding for the development, which would house 22 people, including 14 veterans and eight people with disabilities.
But when the group went to get building permits last summer, it found the city had slammed on the brakes.
There was a lot more to be ironed out, according to Dick Powell, the outreach center's executive director.
It's a matter of satisfying federal requirements, according to Sharon Prescott, the Beach's housing development administrator. And there is no leeway on these rules passed by Congress.
"Because there are federal funds being used, they have to do an environmental review," she said.
Last week, the outreach center's lawyers filed an inch-thick packet it hopes
will clear the way for construction. Prescott said her staff is going through the information.
"It's a process that has to be followed," she said. "We have to review it and approve it and send it farther up the chain" to federal Housing and Urban Development officials in Richmond.
She predicted it will be a 60-day process, but said the city is committed to making the complex happen.
"The housing is very much needed," Prescott said, adding: "We've been working on this project since 2003."
Powell said he is eager to get going. "The bids are almost a year old," he said.
The Judeo-Christian Outreach Center's homeless shelter on Virginia Beach Boulevard has a 20- to 30-person waiting list, he said.
At least 20 of the 50 people living there could qualify for the new location, he said, opening up desperately needed beds.
Once the center gets the building permits, it can start work immediately, Powell said.
Contractors have told him it will take about eight months to build the complex.
"We're hoping - and praying a lot too - that this is going to resolve it," he said.
Tony Germanotta, (757) 222-5113, tony.germanotta@pilotonline.com
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Truth Guy!
Dick Powell has been running the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center (a non-profit shelter) for around 20 years. You obviously don't know anything about him to state that he is all talk and no action. He has helped a lot of people here re-enter society after homelessness. Cheers, MGM
Good Luck!
Hope this goes through, it is definetly needed. In my opinion, I highly doubt the city will be of much help. It seems they do as much as possible to push homeless, low-income, lower middle-class income people/families out of town. Like the group that wanted to build more affordable housing, that the city squashed. Maybe if there was more affordable housing there wouldn't be as great a need to shelter the homeless veterans because they could afford a place on their own.
Typical.
Perhaps if our Government pulled some of the $$$ they spend taking care of immigrants (illegal or not) or the billions in foreign aid they could solve the homeless problems for all our Vets and more.
All talk
Looks like Dick Powell is "all talk no action". Remember, a person's character is not defined by what they say they are going to do, but by their actions. Maybe if he sold those gold shovels he is holding in the picture, he could pay off the local government like they do in California.
Once again
the goverment will put up a road block to a good project. I hope that they get the project started soon as we need the beds.
Looks as if
divisions of the Federal Government are empathizing with Hollywood's lead on McCarthyism against America's Military and Veterans. Fast track it to 10 days and LET'S ROLL!