Veterans select name for MSC’s Veterans Housing Project

The name honors the memory of a longtime advocate for veterans’ health care

September 19, 2016 1:07 pm
An artist's rendering of the now-named William J. Wood Veterans House on Pacific Highway near Dash Point Road. Construction is scheduled to be complete in November.
An artist's rendering of the now-named William J. Wood Veterans House on Pacific Highway near Dash Point Road. Construction is scheduled to be complete in November.

A focus group comprised of veterans (and some current-duty service members) recently selected “William J. Wood Veterans House” as the name of the Multi-Service Center’s Veterans Housing Project being built on Pacific Highway near Dash Point Road in Federal Way.

The selection committee represented a diverse group of veterans from all branches of the military. Name suggestions were solicited from the community at large, then narrowed down to 10 names for the selection committee to choose from.

The roughly $13 million housing facility will offer 44 one-, two- and three-bedroom units to homeless veterans and their families. All units will be fully furnished and eligible for rental subsidies through the HUD VASH Program in collaboration with King County Housing Authority. The building should be completed in November 2016.

William J. Wood was a tireless advocate for veterans. He served in the Army as a warrant officer during the Vietnam War. Wood was a longtime member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, an organization based on the principle, “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.” The organization advocates for full access to quality health care, particularly for care of disabling injuries and illnesses incurred during military service.

In 2005, Wood was part of a group of veterans that advocated for a local property tax levy to fund additional services for veterans. Later that year, the residents of King County overwhelmingly passed an initiative creating the King County Veterans and Human Services Levy, which provides a broad array of services for veterans, their families and others in need.

After retiring, Wood, with another veteran, created the Veterans Incarcerated Program that assists veterans who are having issues with the criminal justice system. The program helps the inmates obtain VA benefits and provides counseling to address service-related problems. Wood died in Seattle in 2014.

MSC is seeking donations and sponsorships for the William J. Wood Veterans House. A donation of $500 or more will get your name on the wall in the lobby of the building. Limited room sponsorships ranging from $5,000-$15,000 are also available. For more information, contact MSC’s Sarah Villian at sarahv@mchelps.org or 253-835-7678 ext. 104.