A Traverse City nonprofit is working to purchase a local motel to provide affordable housing and a sense of camaraderie for veterans attending Northwestern Michigan College (NMC).

Veterans Housing USA is the brainchild of Mike Griffith, a construction management student at NMC who served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps before moving to northern Michigan in 2015.

“There are many fantastic organizations dedicated to helping veterans with every aspect of their transition out of the military, but there are few that seek to recreate the home life our veterans had prior to leaving the service,” says Griffith. “By offering dorm-style housing exclusively for veterans, we aim to create an environment for our service members that is familiar, supportive and affordable.”

Griffith is raising funds for The Barracks at 1010 East Front Street, which currently houses the Grand Traverse Motel. He plans a January closing on the property, which would provide housing for 36 veterans in 18 two-person units. Each room would have a kitchenette with a microwave, refrigerator and in-room bathroom. Veterans would rent a unit by the semester. Rents are expected to be roughly $400 per person, per month.

“The property is basically turnkey, it just needs new mattresses,” says Griffith. “We’re planning it to be ready for the spring semester of ’18. Within walking distance from NMC, our housing allows veterans to attend school full-time while living solely off their educational benefits.”

Griffith says that affordable, familiar housing will enable veterans to pursue higher education with minimal transitional stressors, leading to happier, more productive veterans in the workforce.

“I think his project is a great idea,” says Scott Herzberg, military and veteran services advisor at NMC. “It’s an ambitious plan, but very well-intended. Mike and I have talked about how this could help our veterans.”

In 2016, NMC was recognized by Military Times as one of the nation’s Top Five ‘Best for Vets’ schools.

“Typically about 5 percent of our students are veterans,” says Herzberg.  “If you add in active-duty, reservists, national guard and dependents, it’s about 8 to 9 percent.”

Griffith estimates there are 200-225 veterans at NMC. He hopes to offer housing to roughly one-seventh of them at The Barracks. “It’s really designed for the full-time student who is using the GI Bill,” he says. “It will provide them a roof over their head, and as a barracks, it’s a familiar place for them to transition to civilian life, survive and thrive.”

Griffith immigrated to the US from England when he was 12 years old. After enlisting in the Marine Corps at the age of 18, he became a U.S. citizen in 2011. After Griffith was honorably discharged from the Marines in 2012, he returned to his hometown of Houston before moving to TC in 2015.

Three years after separating, Griffith says he was still struggling with his own challenges only to run into the hurdles of finding affordable housing in or around Traverse City. While attending NMC, Griffith was elected treasurer for the Student Veterans of America. He also became involved in other nonprofit and for-veteran groups in the area.

“All my experiences led to the creation of Veterans Housing USA,” says Griffith. “We’re dedicated to bringing affordable student housing for veterans to Traverse City.”

Veterans Housing USA has 501(c)(3) pending status. Griffith is currently planning fundraisers to help with the purchase of the Grand Traverse Motel property.  To learn more, visit vethousing.org or contact Griffith by email at m.griffith@vethousing.org.