Tunnel to Towers Veterans Village sits in northwest Houston where an old Holiday Inn used to be, and now it's been fixed up to give a safe home to over 130 veterans, many of whom were without a place to live. The building now has 161 ready-to-move-in rooms, all set up with wheelchair access, private showers, cable or satellite TV, and windows looking out at the area. There's 24/7 staff and security, which helps people feel safe. The Village offers permanent and transitional housing, along with support for veterans facing challenges such as PTSD, substance abuse, and financial problems, with everything run as part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's Homeless Veteran Program.
Residents get meals on-site and have places to gather, like a dining room, bistro, café, TV lounge, library, meeting spaces, computer room, and a bar or pub. There's a fitness center, pool, gym, and outdoor spaces with pavilions for social activities, along with a recreation room, common areas with couches, hallways, and a projection TV spot. Activities include yoga, chair yoga, outings, club meetups, a bridge club, book club, trivia games, Wii bowling, and the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk, so folks can stay active and feel like part of the community. Someone can get from place to place easily, too, since transportation and parking-including free rides-are available and there's room for residents to park.
Healthcare and staff can help with things like incontinence care and other basic needs, and in addition to regular care, there are memory care units and rooms designed to help people who need extra support. USVets staffers help residents with things like case management, finding jobs, and mental health care. The Village tries to make folks comfortable and treat them with dignity, with everything fully furnished and laid out to be stable and safe.
There's a push to help veterans become more independent and stable over time, so there are services geared toward career growth and finances. This place isn't just about housing-it's set up as a whole community with events, support programs, and even a photo mosaic that honors first responders and veterans. Tunnel to Towers Veterans Village was made possible by partners like Paradigm Construction and the Cy-Fair Women's Club, and continues the mission started by FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, helping veterans, Gold Star families, and the families of first responders who were lost or injured. It's meant to give hope and a sense of belonging, and it serves as a model for similar projects in places like California, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, and Michigan.
The Village holds ceremonies for residents, such as unveiling new housing and community spaces, and plans include building 14 more comfort homes for senior veterans by 2024. The community focuses on making sure veterans have the chance to live with comfort, stability, and dignity, in a place that encourages healing and new starts, so it can keep moving toward the goal of ending veteran homelessness for good.
