Planning Commission approves veteran apartments despite location concerns

The proposed Veteran’s apartments will occupy the lot formerly home to the Senior Center. Photo by Alex Dominguez

NORWALK - Plans for an affordable housing apartment complex aimed for veterans were approved by Norwalk’s Planning Commission on Wednesday.

The 4-story project will be located at the southwest corner of San Antonio Drive and Foster Road, and will consist of 60 units.

The project is the product of a partnership between the city and Mercy Housing, a non-profit housing corporation.

The development is intended for extremely low, very low, and low-income veteran households. Further, Mercy Housing would provide long-term supportive services to the veterans and their families living in the apartments.

According to a city staff report, the development will service 20 formerly homeless veterans, 39 veteran families, and one on-site manager.

While the project garnered some support, it also received push-back from residents in the immediate neighborhood around the lot.

Many of those opposed shared the same sentiment: they approved of the project but due to concerns of safety, privacy, and traffic among other issues, did not agree with the location.

Vice Chair Scott Collins approved of the project, saying that he felt the push-back was due to “NIMBYism.”

“We do face a challenge right now,” said Collins. “These are veterans. They’re not people committing murder, they could be druggies, and they could be recovering from drug addiction. They’re not pedophiles or rapists, or the general things you hear all of a sudden when the word ‘homeless’ comes up. These are people who have served our country.”

Commissioner Victor Lujan said he approved of the concept, but was sympathetic to the residents and took issue with the area. Ultimately, Lujan abstained from the item entirely.

The final vote came to 3-0, with Lujan declining to taking a side and Chair Rosa Barragan absent.

The apartments will still need to get approval from City Council, who is currently scheduled to see the item at their meeting on Jan. 21.