News

Development will provide 25 new units of affordable housing and supportive services for veterans in need.

BOSTON – September 15, 2020 – Brighton Marine, a Veteran network community in Brighton, announced the official opening of a facility that provides 25 units of affordable housing to vulnerable Boston area Veterans.

“The City of Boston is incredibly lucky to have a network of providers that delivers among the most high-quality and comprehensive services for homeless individuals in the United States,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “We are proud of the fact that we have one of the highest sheltering rates in the nation. Brighton Marine is a great example of the work being done to help these individuals who have served our country. I thank all of our partners.”

The City of Boston is committed to connecting Boston’s military families with the resources and assistance they are entitled to. In 2015, Mayor Walsh released “An Action Plan to End Veteran and Chronic Homelessness In Boston: 2015 – 2018”,  which outlines the City’s strategies to transform Boston’s homeless response system in order to end veterans homelessness by 2015 and chronic homelessness by 2018. Since the start of the plan the City has housed more than 1,291 veterans experiencing homelessness.

Boston Housing Authority, in partnership with Brighton Marine, Boston Veterans’ Services, VA Boston Healthcare and Soldier On, will provide permanent, affordable housing and supportive services to eligible Veterans under the HUD-VASH program. The HUD-VA Supportive Housing program provides Veterans with comprehensive case management and wraparound services delivered on and off campus – including primary and mental health care, and if needed, substance abuse counseling – to help Veteran residents further their recovery while achieving housing security and independence.

“Housing veterans has been a major priority for BHA for decades,” said Kate Bennett, Boston Housing Authority Administrator. “We are thrilled to be able to provide critical support for this project.”

The complex is located near public transit and a local job center and will complement an existing initiative by the non-profit Brighton Marine that helps homeless veterans and their families with money for security deposits, rent, outstanding utility bills, and moving expenses.

The care for residents will be coordinated by the case management teams at Boston Veterans’ Services, VA Boston Healthcare and Soldier On, a private nonprofit organization committed to ending veteran homelessness. Soldier On has been serving homeless veterans since 1994 through both transitional and permanent housing with comprehensive services, including case management and wellness support, workforce assistance, benefits assessment and application assistance, legal services, transportation, telehealth, daily meals and many ancillary support programs. These two organizations, in conjunction with Brighton Marine will provide on-site assistance through many services, including providing a resident director who will be onsite to meet the unique needs of each resident.

“We could not be more thrilled to open additional housing options on the Brighton Marine campus for veterans who have served our country,” said Michael Dwyer, President of Brighton Marine. “This was truly a team effort and we are thankful for the support of our Board of Directors and community partners who have rolled up their sleeves to bring this vision to life.” 

“We at Soldier On are honored and excited to be included in the Brighton Marine veterans housing development. The men and women who served our country were there when we needed them, and we are here for them when they need a home and a community to be a part of,” said Bruce Buckley, CEO and President of Soldier On. “We are grateful for Brighton Marine, their Board of Directors, the City of Boston, and all the other community partners to allow us to serve the veterans in this joint effort.”

Each studio is fully furnished with private kitchenettes and full bathrooms. The facility will be fitted with state-of-the-art conferencing technology to support telehealth needs for Veteran residents. Veterans are expected to begin moving in by September 15.

About Boston Authority (BHA)
Boston Housing Authority (BHA) provides affordable housing to more than 58,000 residents in and around the City of Boston. Residents are assisted through a combination of public housing and federal and state voucher subsidy programs that provide a wide variety of housing opportunities. As the largest public housing authority in New England, the BHA houses close to 9 percent of the city’s residents. Our mission is to provide stable, quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income persons; to deliver these services with integrity and mutual accountability; and to create living environments which serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency.

About Brighton Marine
A vital social service presence since 1940, Brighton Marine is a charitable organization that supports uniformed services members, retirees, veterans and their families through a nationally-recognized health management program, developing and managing mixed income housing, and providing various veteran support services to the Greater Boston community. Serving as the network community for uniformed service member transitioning back into civilian life and a resource hub of military, veteran and family services in the Greater Boston area, Brighton Marine has earned a reputation as a strong community presence and trusted partner in social services. For more information, visit www.brightonmarine.org.

About Soldier On 
Soldier On is a nationally recognized non-profit organization governed by a full-time President, CEO and a volunteer Board of Directors. We work in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies to provide veterans with shelter and support in an environment that offers dignity, integrity, and, most importantly, hope. Soldier On’s mission is to offer a continuum of care that includes immediate and long-term housing with services delivered where they live. Soldier On’s ultimate goal is to provide formerly homeless veterans with permanent, supportive, sustainable housing – assisting them in their transition from homelessness to homeownership. For more information, visit www.wesoldieron.org.

About Boston’s Way Home
Boston’s Way Home is the City of Boston’s plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness. Launched in 2015, the plan focused on addressing the housing and support needs of veterans and chronically homeless individuals.  Since Mayor Walsh launched Boston’s Way Home, the City’s plan to reach this goal, Boston has ended chronic veteran homelessness. To date, the City has housed more than 850 homeless veterans.  Now, the City is expanding its efforts to include ending all chronic homelessness in Boston.