The funds will help offset many of the cost increases caused by COVID-related shutdowns, supply chain issues, and inflation.
“My primary job as a state legislator is to deliver state funding for critical High Desert projects,” Lackey said in a news release. “Results matter. I am proud to partner with CalVet and the city of Palmdale to secure $2.7 million to complete the construction of homes for our veterans.”
Lackey presented the $2.7 million check to Homes 4 Families’ President & CEO Donna Deutchman, Board Chair Brad Rosenheim, and Board Members William Hawfield, Linda Katz, Eric Steinhauer, and Deanna Austin. Also in attendance to show their support was Palmdale’s Director of Neighborhood Services Mike Miller.
The check award ceremony kicked off a TEAMBuild day, where volunteers from Kaiser Permanente, Princess Cruises, and Sentry Residential worked onsite, alongside veterans who will be living in the community, to frame the next phase of homes. Despite all of the setbacks that COVID-19 presented to Homes 4 Families, the nonprofit completed the first 16 homes in 2021 and moved 16 military families into the community. They’re on track to complete the next six homes this year and the remaining 34 in phases through 2025, according to Homes 4 Families representatives.
“This funding will be an enormous leap forward in our ability to provide these homes to deserving veterans in need of stable housing and services,” said Donna Deutchman, President & CEO of Homes 4 Families. “We are so happy to be building these houses in the city of Palmdale, where veterans are truly honored and other wonderful services already exist.”
“Leaders like Tom Lackey and the Palmdale city council have created an ideal home here for our veterans,“ Deutchman added.
The local Homes 4 Families project will serve 56 military families who earn between 40-80 percent area median income. Military family members will also receive services such as financial literacy training, homebuyer education, and trauma-informed care. The homeownership program is currently open and accepting applications from qualified low-income veterans. Information and applications can be found at www.Homes4Families.org.
Lackey’s contribution represents a major portion of this project’s approximately $23 million total cost. The project is being built in partnership with the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), and the city of Palmdale and its housing authority. Major contributors include the California Department of Housing and Community Development and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, as well as numerous foundation and corporate partners, including The Ahmanson Foundation, Wells Fargo, Citibank, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, High Desert Medical Group, Lou and Joyce Gonzales, and others.
Homes 4 Families relies on individual volunteers and corporate volunteer groups to build homes. Those interested in sponsoring and/or attending the upcoming Rainbow Build can visit https://homes4families.org/rainbow-build-2022/. Rainbow Build is a community build that will be held Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. on the Palmdale Veteran Enriched Neighborhood site.
