Vets shelter site sought in Lynn

LYNN - Even as the nation paused Tuesday to salute veterans, a national organization announced its goal of finding a site by year's end to house 29 local vets.

"We've had some discussions with the (Lynn) Housing Authority. They've shown us some sites that might be suitable for us. We're hoping we can get something soon," said Volunteers of America of Massachusetts president and chief executive Thomas Bierbaum.

Founded in 1896 and expanded in 1931 to Massachusetts, Volunteers runs nine social service programs serving over 2,000 people last year. Its veterans' services include 33 veterans housing residences across the country, including ones in Cleveland, Tampa, Louisiana and Indianapolis with new ones planned in Alabama and Maine as well as Lynn.

The U.S. Veterans Administration awarded Volunteers $1.1 million in September to acquire a Lynn location. Bierbaum said the group needs a site sufficient to house 20 veterans in separate rooms and nine in studio apartments.

Bierbaum said each site Volunteers views locally must be evaluated for acquisition and renovation costs.

"Every time we look at a site we have to do some analysis," he said.

Under VA spending guidelines, Volunteers must pick a site and secure other money it needs for the project within a year of receiving the federal money. Bierbaum said Volunteers plans to seek state money to help pay for the project.

The VA estimates about 60 Lynn-area veterans qualify for help through Volunteers' program. Volunteers plans to work with local agencies already assisting the homeless to identify veterans who need help.

"We're excited about it," Bierbaum said.

Volunteers' Lynn project is part of the VA's commitment to reduce the ranks of homeless veterans. The federal agency last year reported it had reduced an estimated national total of 154,000 homeless veterans by 21 percent.

It is also one of several active initiatives aimed at providing veterans, including ones back from Iraq and Afghanistan, with more services.

State Sen. Thomas M. McGee and former state Rep. Jeff Hayward helped launch a veterans' mortgage program last July called "Homes for the Brave."

As a leading legislator on veterans' affairs and son of a World War II combat veteran, McGee worked to assemble the program. Hayward works for the Fannie Mae Community Lending Group which is providing a $300,000 grant to assist the first 200 veterans who apply for mortgages with help paying closing costs.

Home for the Brave offers qualified veterans living in Massachusetts 100 percent financing with no down payment for single- family homes or condominiums and 97 percent financing for multi-family properties.

The program also provides help for disabled veterans and links veterans to mortgage insurance eligible to pay a veteran's principal and interest payments in the event of job loss or military service deployment.

A retired cardiologist is working to expand veterans' health services with his plan to open a 6,000-7,000 square foot clinic in the Boston Street doctors' building.

Dr. Daniel Wistran has worked for two years with U.S. Rep. John Tierney, Mayor Edward J. Clancy, Jr. and Veterans Director Michael Sweeney to expand the existing Boston Street clinic.

The existing clinic occupies two small offices on the first floor of Wistran's building.

Wistran envisions the expanded facility caring for a variety of veterans' medical needs, in particular head injury and mental health care for returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

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