GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The effort to build a village of tiny homes for veterans in need in Brown County is facing opposition from neighbors, but received initial zoning approval from a city committee Thursday night.
Veterans 1st of Northeast Wisconsin, the nonprofit behind the effort, received the approval from Green Bay’s Plan Commission during a special meeting.
Military veterans and their supporters helped pack Green Bay’s city council chambers to say they back the plan to add affordable homes for veterans on the city’s far east side.
“Housing is expensive,” said Michael Sheedy, a veteran from Suamico who says he helps with Brown County’s Veterans Treatment Court. “A lot of our guys don’t have a lot of money. Some place else these guys could go to be safe, to be secure, and to be around other veterans. Veterans are attracted to other veterans.”
Veterans 1st of NEW is looking to build 21 small homes on 3.46 acres of county-donated land near the Green Bay VA Clinic.
Eligible veterans would be screened to live in the 400 or 600 square foot homes. Services would be offered with the goal of getting veterans into an independent living situation within five years.
“We will offer safe, affordable housing and services that are greatly needed by our area veterans,” said Gail Nohr, co-founder of Veterans 1st of NEW. “We have over 75 agencies and professionals helping us achieve our goals.”
Workers and residents of Veterans Manor, which would share a property line with the tiny home village, voiced concerns and opposition.
“One, it’s too close to the property line, it will affect our way of life here,” said William Keserich, a resident of Veterans Manor.
Residents of the Schmitt Park Neighborhood accused Veterans 1st of not answering questions they’ve had and pointed out most supporters at the meeting don’t live near the proposed site. They also raised concerns about disturbing the nearby Brown County Poor Farm Cemetery.
“We are not against the goal of housing veterans,” said Kathy Jerry of Green Bay. “We warmly welcomed Veterans Manor when it was built. Veterans Manor is a well-run establishment. We do not see Veterans 1st being anything like that at this time. It appears to be a bunch of people wanting to do good, but clueless on how to go about it.”
“I got eight names on my wrist of people who haven’t returned,” said retired Major General Dan Ammerman of De Pere. “Many of the people I served with came back injured, so I don’t see the gratitude in saying not in my backyard.”
The zoning recommendation carries a host of conditions including land division from the county’s original 33-acre parcel and having an archaeologist on site during site excavation.
The full city council is expected to have the final say on the zoning request at meetings later in May and in June.
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