Resident Impact

A Partnership for Veterans

In October of 2021, he heard about a new Veteran housing project being built on East Washington Ave. in Madison. Needing housing and employment, he turned to the Great Lakes Dryhootch, a dry, peer support organization centered on assisting Veterans and their families with civilian life.

Valor on Washington is a six story, mixed-use building with 59 two and three bedroom units of family affordable housing aimed to provide a welcoming community for Veterans and their families along with support services through Lutheran Social Services and the Dryhootch, which occupies the retail space on the first floor. Dryhootch provides a coffee shop atmosphere for clients to meet and grab a delicious cup of coffee, aptly named after the branches of the military.

David, soft spoken and reserved, said he leans toward isolation. A Veteran presence at both work (Dryhootch) and within Valor, where he lives, helps him feel safe within this peaceful community and share a similar camaraderie to what he experienced in the service.

Key Financing

Key financing partners for the $18.9 million Valor on Washington project included Dane County through its Affordable Housing Fund, the City of Madison through its Madison Community Development Division (CDD), Dane County Housing Authority, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, Associated Bank, Boston Financial, Walker Dunlop, and WHEDA.

David said he has seen a great deal of Vets turn to drugs and alcohol to manage their civilian life. He hopes to affect change within the Veteran community by helping them overcome addictions through Dryhootch support services.

Difficult Decisions

In early 2000’s, both Ken and Cheryl lost their jobs, one factory closed its doors and the other laid off a substantial number of employees due to rising labor costs. Simultaneously, Ken’s health began to rapidly deteriorate.

Ken, unable to work due to his ailing health conditions, began social security disability. Cheryl found another job, but the small pay checks and the social security disability funds were not enough to cover the medical and housing upkeep expenses that overwhelmed them. They turned to refinancing their home several times to pay down medical bills and cover repairs to their home where they had spent decades raising their family.

In 2015, months shy of their 40th wedding anniversary, Ken passed away from medical complications. Cheryl was left with very difficult financial decisions on a single income. She sold their home, took the little profit from the sale, and moved into a senior (55+) apartment community just down the street. It provided relief and comfort from the storm until the building was sold to an outside property management company and the rent went from affordable to more than half of her monthly income.

Adaptive Reuse for Affordable Senior Housing

The real shock was nothing was affordable for senior citizens on fixed incomes in her small, rural town. “It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. I was so afraid to move away from the town I called home for the last 57 years – but there wasn’t a choice when I looked at my bank account.”

During her search for affordable housing in neighboring towns, Cheryl heard about the newly opening Riverside Lofts, located in Jefferson, Wisconsin. Just 20 minutes from her hometown, she was blown away by the project the moment she stepped foot in the door.

Riverside Lofts is an adaptive reuse project that converts a prior furniture manufacturing facility and warehouse into 36 mixed-income apartments in downtown Jefferson, Wisconsin. This project is a catalyst for the city to commence construction of their planned Downtown Riverwalk. The building consists of a mix of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units renting at affordable rents between 30% and 60% of county median income and four market rate units are also incorporated. Amenity spaces include a fitness center, community room, and resident storage. The project includes units targeted to residents with disabilities.

“My first impression was ‘WOW’. There was so much color and space. I wasn’t sure what affordable housing was going to look like, but I felt like I won the lottery!” Cheryl enjoys her neighbors and how they have bonded so quickly with each other. Between potlucks, walks along the river path outside, summertime patio conversations, Thanksgiving meal baskets, and the wonderful communication from the property manager, it is a welcoming new home and community for her.