Hoboken’s Homeless Vets: American Legion Plans Housing Complex

HOBOKEN, NJ — The members of American Legion Post 107 in Hoboken have an ambitious goal: raise $1 million to fund a complex that will help to provide housing for homeless military veterans in Hudson County.

The Hoboken Legion’s ambitious effort – which it describes as “the first such effort in our country by an American Legion post” – reportedly aims to create an apartment-style community for homeless veterans by demolishing the Tom Kennedy American Legion Post 107 at 308 Second Street and replacing it with a new, mixed-use building that would include six residential units reserved for local homeless vets.

The veterans would be charged a maximum of 30 percent of their income for rent, Jersey Digs reported.

• See related article: Hoboken Homeless Vet Housing Gets Final Go-Ahead

“We foresee working collaboratively with Hudson County in qualifying veterans for these residences and connecting them with available services through The American Legion and our network of community providers,” the legion states on its website.

Project stakeholders and partners include Monarch Housing of Cranford, Union County and the Hoboken Shelter.

“I want to recognize the resilient character of our veterans from American Legion Post 107,” Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said during her recent state of the city address. “Not only did they each fight to protect the core values of liberty and justice for our country, but every year they stand together and work hard to make sure that our veterans are recognized during all the national veteran holidays.”

“When their post headquarters was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, not only did they not give up, they worked with my administration, the county, and members of our community to develop a plan and funding for a new post and to provide affordable housing for our veterans in need,” Zimmer said. “They are still working toward a fundraising goal, and I ask everyone to consider giving what you can at http://www.americanlegionpost107nj.com.”

Photo: A Hoboken veteran examines water damage at the American Legion after Superstorm Sandy

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