Berkshire

Veterans

Residence

Pittsfield,

Massachusetts

Introduction

The Developers United Veterans Berkshire Housing

The Member

The Residents

The Numbers

Tour the Site

A Second Chance for Veterans

View of the Berkshire Veterans Residence.

When Eugene Vereen arrived at United Veterans of America's (UVA) homeless shelter in Leeds, Massachusetts, he had reached a critical turning point in his life.

"My life was really going in the wrong direction," says Mr. Vereen, 66, who served four years in the U.S. Air Force. "At an early age, I began drinking and using drugs. It took over my life. I didn't have a sense of direction."

Panoramic View of the Berkshire Veterans Residence

Four years later, however, Mr. Vereen has turned his life around, thanks in part to the concern shown him by the shelter's staff. "Being here has been a great help to me," says Mr. Vereen, who is now a member of the organization's staff. "I've had over three years of sobriety."

Transitional room at the Berkshire Veterans Residence.

Last year, Mr. Vereen took the next step in his recovery by moving to UVA's Berkshire Veterans Residence, a mix of 60 transitional housing units and 10 permanent studio apartments for veterans in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

The recipient of a $274,000 grant and a $274,000 subsidized advance from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston's Affordable Housing Program, the Tri-State Veterans Transitional Housing Project (now called the Berkshire Veterans Residence) involved the conversion of a former nursing home into veterans transitional housing.

"The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston's contribution, in effect, eliminated the need for a mortgage," says John F. Downing, UVA's executive director. "The marriage was just perfect for us."

In this FHLB housing profile, meet the developers, residents, and members who contributed to the success of this unique housing initiative for veterans.