Photo by Brad Nettles: 'All's well that ends well,' said Melissa Kelly, director of the nonprofit Chesapeake Health Education Program, which will continue to allow homeless veterans to be housed on the former Charleston Naval Base.September 27, 2011 - The homeless veterans being housed on the former Charleston Naval Base won't have to move this month after all.
State Sen. Robert Ford and Rep. Wendell Gilliard, both Charleston Democrats, helped broker a new lease deal that will allow the Chesapeake Health Education Program to remain at the base.
The lawmakers acted after The Post and Courier reported that the nonprofit group was planning to move its veterans housing because it couldn't strike a deal with S.C. Public Railways, a division of the state Commerce Department, that had bought the base property at a foreclosure sale last year.
The failure apparently stemmed from a communications gap.
The new lease, agreed to Monday, will allow the nonprofit to continue to lease several Manley Avenue duplexes at no cost for at least three more years, providing it pays all insurance and maintenance costs.
"We broke the news to some of the veterans, and they were just elated," Gilliard said. "We felt that was a big accomplishment."
Ford praised S.C. Public Railways head Mike McWhorter for being accommodating. The agency previously had communicated with the nonprofit through its lawyer.
McWhorter said he was glad Ford and Gilliard got involved and helped get a resolution with the Chesapeake people. read more>>>
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