Florida Today by John McCarthy
June 9, 2017
The Homes for Warriors project began as a well-intentioned effort by a local nonprofit veterans’ group and the city of Palm Bay to help disabled soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors who served their country get a free roof over their head.
After four years, and only seven vets housed, the program ended up badly managed, dramatically over budget, and one that city officials are still trying to disentangle.
Some of the program’s problems were laid out in a state audit released in March.
But a nearly six-week long in-depth review of the public records by FLORIDA TODAY reveals an even more glaring lack of oversight by city officials to ensure the money used on the project was spent properly or that the city even protected its own investment.
Among the findings:
- The city spent more than double its own self-imposed limit to build or refurbish seven homes [READ MORE]