LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — Imagine a neighborhood of 115 homes built to meet the specific needs of the most severely-disabled military veterans.
You can only imagine it because it doesn't exist.
A New York-based foundation is trying to change that, and it's looking at 74 acres in Pasco County, Florida.
The Pasco County Planning Commission is considering the project after hearing details about the proposal at a meeting last month.
Matt Mahoney, the executive vice president of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, spoke virtually at the meeting saying, "These are veterans who have come back from war after serving our country who are missing multiple appendages or severely burned."
Mahoney explained that the land was donated to the foundation, and it will be footing the bill and gifting the homes to recipients, mortgage-free.
The foundation is looking to build 115 homes on 74 acres in Land O' Lakes south of Parkway Boulevard, east of Ehren Cutoff. The area is wedged between the Panther Run community and Dupree Lakes.
"Putting these wonderful families together in a community where they have shared experiences, where they live, learn, and grow from each other every single day is just a remarkable thing," said Mahoney at the April 22nd meeting.
Cyndi Tarapani also spoke on behalf of the foundation as she explained that this proposal would be the first neighborhood of its kind consisting of two different style homes – a one-story for the injured vets and a two-story for surviving spouses and children.
"How fortunate are we that the foundation selected Pasco County as the location for the first neighborhood in the United States created to serve these veterans and first responders’ families," said Tarapani.
A handful of people who live in the area surrounding the proposed site shared concerns about running off the wildlife and overcrowding the existing neighborhoods. However, everyone applauded the foundation's mission.
A spokesperson with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation declined to comment at this time.
The Pasco County Planning Commission is expected to discuss the proposal again later this month.
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