Habitat Renovates Tampa Veterans Village for Veterans Day
Volunteers paint and repair apartments at James Cole Veterans Village while also rebuilding homes damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Home Renovation
Live Poll
Do you think your community is doing enough to help residents afford storm repairs?
Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough conducted a week of home repairs for Tampa Bay veterans for Veterans Day. Volunteers renovated apartment units at the James Cole Veterans Village in Tampa with fresh paint and repairs.
Why it matters
The effort is part of Habitat's annual Veterans Build Week of Service and targets veterans whose homes were damaged by storms and whose insurance or finances did not cover repairs. Several Tampa-area families remain affected by storm damage from the 2024 hurricanes.
Florida housing data show 235,799 veterans living in homes with major problems and 26.8 percent paying too much for housing. The article does not specify how many of these veterans live in the Tampa Bay area.
The players
Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough
A local chapter of the nonprofit housing organization that builds and repairs homes for low-income families in the Tampa Bay region.
Pedro Gratacos
An Army veteran whose Tampa home was damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and who has lived with a damaged roof for years.
Charles Williams
An Air Force veteran whose Brandon home and garden shed were destroyed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The details
Johnson & Johnson volunteers began renovations at James Cole Veterans Village on Friday, followed by Lowe's and BGE teams on Saturday. On November 10, volunteers are scheduled to rebuild a garden shed destroyed by the hurricanes for Air Force veteran Charles Williams and his wife, Gloria, while Habitat's Red Cross-funded program already provided them a new roof.
Timeline
Friday (prior to November 8, 2026): Johnson & Johnson volunteers begin two-day veterans village renovation.
Saturday (prior to November 8, 2026): Lowe's and BGE teams continue renovations at the village.
November 10, 2026: Volunteers rebuild a garden shed for Charles and Gloria Williams.
November 11, 2026: Habitat replaces the roof for the Gratacos family on Veterans Day.
Market Landscape
Habitat's Red Cross Disaster Recovery and Resilience program is funding roof and home repairs for storm-affected households in the region. This veterans-focused week extends that post-hurricane recovery work to military families.
Veterans facing unrepaired storm damage may receive free roof and home repairs through Habitat's volunteer and partner programs. Residents who need similar help can contact Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough about eligibility.
The takeaway
Storm-damaged veterans often face gaps between insurance coverage and actual repair costs, and community volunteer programs can fill part of that gap. Homeowners recovering from hurricanes should document damage carefully and ask local nonprofits about repair assistance early.
What happens next
Volunteers are scheduled to rebuild the Williams garden shed on November 10, 2026, and replace the Gratacos family roof on November 11, 2026.
Further reading
For more on local projects, browse Home Renovation coverage across the Tampa area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
Live Poll
Do you think your community is doing enough to help residents afford storm repairs?
