Warrior Homes of Collier celebrates mortgage milestone
The Floridant/10295709

NAPLES, Fla. - Floridant -- Warrior Homes of Collier, a nonprofit with a mission of ensuring that no veteran in need is left behind, recently gathered its top supporters to celebrate a mortgage milestone: the early payment of a $2.7 million loan that financed the purchase of Delta House, its largest property.

The supportive housing complex in East Naples, with 10 apartments for up to 20 veterans, was purchased in 2022 and is the first of the organization's six local residences to serve both male and female veterans. Earlier this month, Warrior Homes of Collier president and founder Dale Mullin shared the fiscal update with a group of 40 donors at an appreciation luncheon.

"When we got into housing five years ago, our mission was to end veterans homelessness in Collier County," Mullin said. "We sure didn't think it would take only five years – but we are very close to accomplishing that mission."

Key to that progress, he said, is the organization's focus on not just housing but also connecting veterans with support services such as mental health counseling and peer support, as well as educational opportunities, including college scholarships. Residents pay rent on a sliding scale, but never more than 30% of their income.

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"You don't just provide housing and walk away," Mullin said. "Housing is just the first step to get these men and women back on their feet."

With the addition of Echo and Foxtrot houses – two single-family homes leased from Collier County – Warrior Homes of Collier now has 39 beds available for veterans, both short-term and long-term stays.

The first to open, in 2020, is Alpha House, a short-term, transitional home for those in recovery from substance use disorders. Bravo and Charlie Houses, which serve seniors on fixed incomes who receive rent subsidies (known as supportive housing), then followed.

"When we opened our first home five years ago, there were no designated beds for homeless veterans in Collier County," Mullin said. The group has since served nearly 80 veterans, ranging in age from 33 to 91, and the average occupant is 62 years old.

Warrior Homes of Collier's footprint could potentially expand even further in 2025, Mullin noted, with Collier County seeking a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dedicated to housing veterans. A decision on that grant application could be made as soon as this spring.