RALEIGH, N.C. – A Durham housing project to benefit area veterans has received the support of State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via the SECU Foundation. In recognition of North Carolina’s men and women who served their Country, SECU Foundation provided an interest-free construction loan of over $411,000 to Community Alternatives for Supportive Abodes (CASA) to help build Denson Apartments, an 11-unit permanent supportive housing development for veterans who are homeless and have disabilities.
As with several previous housing initiatives, SECU Foundation once again teamed up with the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) for the loan to help CASA increase its capacity to serve the area’s veteran population.
“I just want to say how grateful we are to State Employees’ Credit Union members for their financing during our construction stage,” said Debra King, CASA’s Chief Executive Officer. “Denson Apartments were designed to serve our homeless veterans with disabilities – to help them come off the streets and start to rebuild their lives. It’s really very little for all they gave up, and we are proud to develop veteran housing for those brave men and women who stood up for all of us.”
CASA is a non-profit community development organization that was established in 1992 to provide affordable housing for more modest income persons with disabilities. CASA develops, owns and manages its rental properties as a long-term investment in the community, and in 2013, opened their first apartment community in Raleigh specifically designed to serve homeless disabled veterans. On opening day in Durham, all Denson apartments were 100% occupied, with each tenant having a bedroom, bathroom and a combined kitchen/living/dining room. CASA residents also have access to services and support through the non-profit’s partnerships with a variety of community service providers, including the Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Warren Peacock, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Durham-Chapel Hill Road branch added, “We are proud to partner with CASA and NCHFA in providing permanent supportive housing for veterans who are homeless and have disabilities. The Denson Apartment project has given SECU members an opportunity to recognize the residents’ military service, giving back to them for the difference they’ve made for us.”