Cove House breaks ground on six-plex

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

An open lot on the corner of North Main Street and Halstead Avenue in Copperas Cove was the site of a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday morning.

Dirt was turned to signify the start of construction for a new six-plex unit for Cove House Emergency Homeless Shelter.

Local officials attended the ceremony, which celebrates the expansion of the shelter’s capacity.

The six-plex will contain six, 2-bedroom units that are similar to the floor plan of the duplex that was completed in December 2023. The project, along with the duplex, was paid for via City of Copperas Cove ARPA grant funding along with another grant, said Brian Hawkins, Executive Director.

The most recent project, the duplex, was completed in 63 days, from permit to ribbon cutting, in the fall of 2023.

The newest structure on the property will double the amount of space for locals who need a “launch pad” into getting into their own residence and be a key element in addressing the local housing crisis.

“Our intent is to provide everything that they need while they're here. So all of the money they make, they can save for moving,” Hawkins said. “We provide food, we provide clothing, we provide toiletries and linens. We don't have laundry services on site but we do provide laundry detergent and those kinds of things. We've got a laundromat just two blocks away.”

Cove House staff also provide followup and support services for residents.

“Starting out, we meet with them every two weeks; they meet with their caseworker and bring in their budget, their expenses, their income, all of those things, so we can verify that they're saving money and doing what they need to do to move forward.

“We always tell them if you need something, or if you want something, ask us first because if we have, it we'll give it to you.”

Hawkins said they have given residents everything from basic things to even things like beard trimmers, hair brushes, blow dryers and curling irons, and even makeup. They also provide assistance with employment searches for residents.

With this newest project now under way, Hawkins said Cove House has its sights set ahead for yet another future project to help address homelessness – Veterans Victory Village.

Hawkins said this is in the early planning stages.

“We've started doing grant applications. We're searching for property,” he said. “We will be bringing in homeless veterans and given them an opportunity to build their credit rating, build their savings, with the ultimate plan to purchase a home at the end of the process.”

He said that some may go on to be renters, because that is what they choose to do.

Hawkins said Veterans Victory Village will be a community of tiny homes, to give an individual a domicile to replant their life and help them with their VA benefits.

He added that it will be similar to the Cove House program, and that veterans in the tiny house community will have milestones to meet, as if they were Cove House residents.

“It’s not going to be a place for them just to crash and do nothing either, but we have a lot of veterans just like anywhere else, who need a place to land long enough to put their life together,” he said. “One of our VA liaisons was telling us the other day that several of them have found themselves in a gap where they make a little too much money to qualify for VASH and some of the housing programs, but their credit is in such bad shape that nobody will rent to them or sell to them.

“So, we're hoping that one of the things that this program is going to do is fill that gap and give them a place to be so they can rebuild their credit, and get some money saved for a down payment.
Hawkins said the initial plan is to start with 10 tiny house units and ultimately build up to 50 units.

Another project will be to eventually construct new office space for the organization, which also operates a free clinic in the Ledger Medical Plaza.