Involved in the multifamily industry since 1993, Greystar has long been philanthropic. Five years ago, the firm began working with the PTSD Foundation of America to help veterans and their families combat post-traumatic stress disorder—a huge problem, with about 30% of military personnel who’ve spent time in war zones having experienced the affliction.
The solution was to develop the five-acre Camp Hope campus in Houston, which provides interim housing and a 90-day recovery program for PTSD veterans through peer counseling, job placement benefits coordination, medical transportation, and—a key component—suicide prevention. The developer’s motto: One life at a time.
A local business donated modular structures, which the company moved to the existing site, and an architecture firm and local supporters donated services, materials, and labor. As a result, one building became a duplex with 52 beds; over time, more bedrooms were added, for a total of 82, and a headquarters building was set up. The newest, 4,800-square-foot building, nearing completion, has space for meetings, training, and a fitness center. “Small-group meetings are the core of the program, led by combat veteran mentors,” says Doug Brown, Greystar’s director of renovations.
Because PTSD continues to be a nationwide problem, the PTSD Foundation of America has expanded its efforts to multiple cities, with help from Greystar, which will start groups wherever a community will step up for veterans and support efforts to bring them hope and healing.
