Dennis Officials Continue to Work on Plans to House Homeless Vets

DENNIS – Town officials in Dennis are continuing to work to build a house for homeless veterans.

A town-owned parcel of land on Route 134 just south of Route 6A is being considered for the five-bedroom, two-story colonial home which would house five veterans.

The ground floor would have two accessible bedrooms, a kitchen, dinning room area, living room and a small meeting room for veterans to meet with case workers. The second floor would have three additional bedrooms.

Dennis Town Planner Daniel Fortier said the home would not be a shelter and would be used for transitional housing.

“These people will be people who have essentially gone through the shelter part of life and are now further along in transitioning back into society,” Fortier said.

The proposed home would also house veterans from across the spectrum.

“We expect it be more heavily Vietnam and Korean War type veterans, older veterans,” Fortier said. “However, there is a need as well for those returning from Afghanistan and the Middle East.”

Plans call for the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center to operate the home under a 99-year $1 lease. The town would continue to own the property.

Fortier said the town is still looking for an organization or entity to donate a chair lift to allow disabled vets to be able to get up the stairs.

Officials will discuss the current design plans at a meeting next Monday.

By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter