Veterans advocate seeks county approval to use 4 acres near Veterans Memorial Park for transitional housing

Colonel DJ Reyes, a retired U.S. Army colonel and deputy executive director for the Florida Department of Veteran Affairs, urged the board to favorably consider use of four county-owned acres adjacent to Veterans Memorial Park for affordable transitional veteran housing tied to existing community wraparound services. Reyes said the site is adjacent to the county's Veterans Resource Center and major transit routes, and argued it is an appropriate location for housing connected to the Veterans Treatment Court and supportive services.

Reyes offered county and state veteran population figures in support of the project: "Right now, we... have 97,000 veterans" in Hillsborough County and about "1,450,000" veterans statewide, with approximately "172,000" female veterans, he said. Reyes thanked Commissioner Cepeda for assistance acquiring the parcel and asked the board to consider the proposal as a local solution to veteran housing needs; his remarks were recorded as part of the public-comment period for future consideration by staff and commissioners.