Merrillville considers temporary housing for female veterans

A Gary nonprofit is hoping to build a home in Merrillville where female veterans can live temporarily while receiving work training from local unions and obtaining housing of their own.

The pilot program is proposed by Webb House Inc. Center for Homeless Veterans and is in honor of Marine Sgt. Jeannette Winters, a Gary native and the first woman Marine killed in combat. Winters was 25 when she was one of seven Marines who died on Jan. 9, 2002, when their plane crashed in southwestern Pakistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Robert Farmer, executive director of Webb House, told the Merrillville Plan Commission Tuesday that the proposal is just in the discussion phase.

He said he already has Veterans Administration funding for the project, plans in place and contractors lined up.

“Our biggest problem has been in finding a location,” Farmer said. “We’re in the process of wanting to see if this is something Merrillville wants,” he said.

Farmer said the home was first planned for the Miller section of Gary, but was stopped by the city.

Engineer Doug Rettig said the nonprofit is looking at two vacant lots at 7700

Grant St., on the north side of U.S. 30 by the Tech Federal Credit Union and an assisted living center.

He said each woman and a staff member would have her own bedroom suite. Farmer said there will be a maximum of 10 women veterans at a time.

They’ll stay for a period of about nine months during which time they’ll be trained by local unions with the goal of getting them into an apprenticeship program. After that, a new group of 10 will arrive at the house.

Farmer said all veterans will be referred to them by the VA Clinic in Crown Point as female veterans looking for a new start. He said none will be substance abusers. Some children will be allowed, but they must be of elementary school age and there is a maximum of 16 occupants per building. No adult men are allowed.

He said this site was chosen because of its proximity to the VA Clinic in Crown Point, the public library and other amenities.

Shandelon Guy, a female veteran who served in the 1st Infantry Division with the army in the Gulf War, said when she returned home from her stint in the army she found little help for female veterans.

“We’re a rising homeless population. Some have PTSD ( post-traumatic stress disorder). I have slept in a car,” she said.

Some council members who sit on the Plan Commission expressed support for the project, but commission chair and

Councilwoman Margaret Uzelac, D-4th, said the plan has to go through the usual regulatory processes and needs to get the approval of the majority of the council.

The proposal will need to go before both the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals as it needs a zone change and special exception approval.

“I’m not against your program. I love your program and hope it goes further, but you need to go through the hoops. We’ll take this into consideration and talk to the other council members,” Uzelac said.

Commission Attorney Michael Deppe said the town council needs to consider that this project would be tax exempt.

“This is a valuable piece of property that the town wouldn’t get any taxes on,” Deppe said.

That didn’t sway at least one councilman’s opinion.

”My personal opinion is I love this program and would love to see it proceed. As far as tax dollars, I don’t care. These women already gave their blood, sweat and tears,” Councilman Jeffrey Minchuk, D-3rd, said.