'You Can Find Yourself Here': MACV Transitional Housing Helps Veterans Looking For A Second Chance

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- From homelessness to housing, MACV is on the front lines of providing transitional housing for veterans looking for a second chance.

Currently, there are 37 veterans receiving transitional housing services from MACV.

More of these spaces are needed but, I found out... one of those units in Minneapolis is providing hope and opportunities for veterans looking for a hand up.

Sitting in the shadow of the VA hospital in Minneapolis is building 47.

This small brick structure is home to 13 veterans who are starting their lives over.

"As MACV we work with them on legal, employment and housing, so why they have the time in here to be stably housed that's one major barrier that is removed out of their life," said Ed Williams.

Ed Williams is MACV's residential service coordinator.

Many of the veterans he works with were on the street or behind bars before landing here.

He helps them address their physical and mental health issues before transitioning to permanent housing.

"One of the benefits of having them on campus is it allows them to go and meet their medical needs, meet their mental health needs, there are also groups that are facilitated over in the VA like a smart recovery to help them continue stabilizing," Williams said.

Each veteran has chores to help the household. They maintain the kitchen, as well as the computer room used for job searches. It's not just a community of veterans its family, who help each other on their path to a better life.

"I lost myself and you can find yourself here," Harold Richardson said.

Richardson is an Army vet who use to call building 47 home.

"The most important thing this has taught me to do is be productive and to learn that I gotta do my part too," Richardson said.

He comes back to where it all began for him to help guide others who are just starting their journey.

"You ain't going come up in here, sit on your little butt look and look around and say, 'yep it's going to be gravy, they are just going to hand it to me,' no they won't, what they are going to hand you is proper advice, proper encouragement and hope and opportunity," Richardson explained.

Living here helped prepare Richardson for a first for him.

"Other people see a brick building an apartment, I see something I never thought I would have. I got my own place, I got my own chair, I got my own TV, I got my own bed, I cook my own food, "Richardson said.

Getting to this place took hard work and a supportive hand from MACV, something Richardson drives home to every veteran who enters building 47.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you this place is perfect, nothing is, it's about as close as you get," Richardson said. "It gives you opportunity, it gives you hope and that's hard to come by."

Transitional housing is available outstate Minnesota but it is more limited.

There are units in Hibbing, Duluth and St. Cloud.

If Minnesota hopes to be the fourth state in the U.S. to declare zero veterans are homeless, more places like building 47 are needed.