Local Veteran Transitions into Homeownership

Veteran Tommy Green at his August 4 closing with Executive Director Tim Bolding.

Tommy Green, a U.S. veteran who served in the Marine Corps and graduated from the academy as Company Honorman, is a new homeowner through a UHI pilot program to connect veterans to homeownership. However, the road from serving his country to owning a home was a rocky one. After his service, Green experienced homelessness and struggled with addiction, but he was eventually able to complete Barron Heights CDC’s two-year addiction counseling program.

“I am a homeless veteran living in a transitional center at Barron Heights,” said Green. “We as veterans were notified about this deal United Housing had and how they were going to draw names to receive a home.”

Completing the Barron Heights program made Green eligible for the new, unique initiative of United Housing in which five veterans, who meet eligibility guidelines around homeownership preparedness, will get houses transferred to them with 100% forgivable mortgages after 15 years.

Green also completed our Homebuyer Education class, giving him an opportunity to learn more in-depth about insurance, home maintenance and more. “I thought class was very informative for a person like me who is unfamiliar with homeownership,” said Green. After turning his life around from the streets to a new home, he is looking forward to enjoying his new backyard and having his grandchildren over. Green is the first of five veterans to complete this program.