Facility for Homeless Vets Opens in Detroit

DETROIT - The Piquette Square for Veterans is a 150 unit project providing long term housing and basic needs for homeless veterans. Southwest Solutions developed and manages the $23-million project.

"I think there's 107,000 homeless veterans nationally," said John Van Camp, president of Southwest Solutions. "They figure that one in six people who are homeless are veterans.... Here in Detroit, we know that there's 18,000 homeless."

More than 40 governments, non-profits, businesses and individuals contributed funds and resources to build and furnish the facility.

The rooms provide veterans with a decent living environment, and they have available a full range of social programs.

Tammy Duckworth, the assistant secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, was on hand for the dedication ceremony. She sees the project as vital.

"One of the missions of VA is to eliminate homelessness among veterans in five years, and we need as many of these facilities out there in communities as possible," said Duckworth. "To have a facility like this that's so well supported by the community, this isn't just something VA created. It's actually something created by the community to support the veterans here and that's the most important part," said Duckworth.

Veterans see Piquette Square as home.

"This is beautiful here. I like... all the things that they have around here. We have horseshoe. We have a game room. We have computers," said veteran Cornelius Williams.

Flags from all branches of the military now fly over Piquette Square honoring those who now live there.