According to AOL Real Estate, the plans for a new home being built by Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit organization that builds homes for injured veterans at no cost, to them has been put on hold by the local homeowners association.
The reason given by the homeowners association, according to the president of the nonprofit homebuilding group, is fear that the home would drag down property values in the neighborhood.
The Evans, Georgia home which was to be built for Army Sergeant 1st Class Sean Gittens who was struck in 2008 by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast during his second tour of duty in Iraq. The explosion paralyzed the right side of his body and left him unable to speak.
John Gonsalves, the president and founder of Homes for Our Troops commented that this is an unusual response, "This is the total opposite of what usually happens, We've met every requirement they've asked for," (according to the AOL Real Estate article).
I contacted two Dallas HOA's for comment, both said they could not understand how such an action could be taken. One called it unconscienable.
Homes for Our Troops has built several homes in Texas, including one in Weatherford for Specialist Brett Wolf who was serving in Iraq with the 25th Infantry when he was severely injured on September 11, 2007. Brett was injured while driving the lead vehicle, a minesweeper, in South Kirkuk, Iraq. The sweeper struck a large bomb, flipped over and injured several of the personnel on board.
The blast caused severe injuries to Brett, with both legs amputated above the knee, serious injuries to his right arm, abdomen and face as well as other minor injuries.
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