A California-based non-profit has re-opened a house for veterans that had been shut down for five months due to water damage.
Wounded Warrior Homes re-opened the house in North County, San Diego on Feb. 15. Four veterans battling the invisible wounds of their military service such as post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury are now living there, according to Mia Roseberry, WWH founder.
“We do transitional housing,” she explained. “We do a ton of other things to meet their needs, but our primary focus is a safe roof over their heads.”
Roseberry said water leaks caused between $60,000 to $70,000 in damage and caused the house to be shut down from September 2022 to earlier this month. While insurance covered some of the repairs, with donations being used to cover the remainder.
The house is now sporting all-new paint and remodeled bathrooms, among other upgrades.
“There’s all new furnishings, right down to the silverware, pots and pans, the beds, bed frames, desks,” she added. “We pretty much emptied the house and started over.”
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The repair and renovation effort was also hampered by supply chain issues and construction crew availability.
“It’s not like I have a crew that can come in, blast it all down and be done,” explained Roseberry.
WWH veterans can stay up to two years in the home on an as-needed basis while they receive support like counseling and rehabilitative services.
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“While the veterans have their own room, they have a shared home,” Roseberry said. “They aren’t the only person in the house. They know that there’s someone else there. They know they’re safe because they’re not alone.”
The re-opening brings the total number of veterans housed through WWH at its homes up to 14 at a time.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.