About us
It started with one veteran who had nowhere to go.
Veterans Housing Veterans was founded in 2021 by George Schembri III, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, to give veterans a structured, accountable path from recovery to independent housing and homeownership.
Our mission
Why we exist.
Veterans Housing Veterans exists to provide safe, structured shared housing and supportive services for veterans. Through accountability, recovery support, employment assistance, life skills development, and community partnerships, we empower veterans to rebuild stable, independent, and productive lives.
Our vision
Veterans Housing Veterans envisions a future where every veteran has access to safe housing, meaningful employment, recovery support, and the opportunity to successfully reintegrate into their community with dignity and purpose.
U.S. Coast Guard, 2002 to 2009
Our founder
He saw a gap. He filled it himself.
George served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 2002 to 2009 and left as a Petty Officer Third Class (E-4). Years later he met a homeless veteran who could not get housing and could not find anyone to help him make the move into a home.
“I saw a void that needed filling.”
George Schembri III
George has spent his working life building things: as a mechanic, in car sales, construction, real estate, rentals and mortgages. He owns homes himself, and he funded Veterans Housing Veterans with his own money to get it started. That experience runs through everything VHV does, from getting a house ready for residents to helping a veteran understand a VA home loan.
He has not been through recovery himself, but he has watched fellow veterans go through it, and he built VHV around what they needed most: a safe place to land, clear structure and a real plan. His hope for every resident is simple: feel safe here, and own a home one day.
george@
- 2002 to 2009George serves in the U.S. Coast Guard, rising to Petty Officer Third Class.
- 2021He founds Veterans Housing Veterans and funds it himself.
- 2025The first home opens its doors to veterans.
- TodayShared homes in the St. Petersburg and Brandon areas, with more on the way.
Our team
The team beside George.
Roxana Novoa
Program Director, Board Member
Roxana worked with George years ago, and they stayed in touch. When he shared his plan for Veterans Housing Veterans, she knew she wanted to be part of it, and she joined the team in 2026.
No two weeks look the same. Much of her time goes into building partnerships with organizations that help connect veterans with housing, referrals, donations and other resources. She also runs the day to day: getting homes ready, resident intake and move-in, billing, household supplies, house rules and meetings with referral partners.
She brings experience in property management, housing coordination and community partnerships, and she is working toward her Certified Recovery Residence Administrator (CRRA) credential. She has not served, but she believes veterans deserve more than thanks: a real support system to help them rebuild. Even when someone is not the right fit for a VHV home, she makes sure they leave with a path to the right help.
roxana@“You don’t have to navigate life’s challenges alone. If you’re ready to take the next step toward stability, we’re here to help you find a path forward.”
Roxanaveteranshousingveterans.com 
Ary Collado
Director of Research and Marketing
Ary has been part of VHV since January 2026. George is a good friend of his, and George’s vision of helping veterans find housing, support and the chance to build better lives hit home right away. Once he learned more about the mission, he wanted to put his time and skills behind it.
He builds and looks after the VHV website and grows its presence on social media, so veterans can easily find and follow the housing, resources and programs open to them. He brings experience in website development, digital marketing and online research, and he takes a hands-on approach: when something new comes up, he digs in and finds a practical answer.
He has not served, but he believes we owe veterans more than thanks: safe housing, real resources and support as they move into independent living. Knowing that the work behind the scenes helps a veteran take the next step toward a more stable future is what keeps him going.
ary@“You’ve served our country, and now it’s our turn to help you find the housing, resources and support you need to move forward with confidence.”
Aryveteranshousingveterans.com
What we do
A bed is the start. The plan is the point.
Shared homes
Clean, furnished homes in the St. Petersburg and Brandon areas. Men and women live in separate homes. Residents pay $850 to $1,250 a month, with furniture, utilities and internet included.
Structure that works
Simple house rules, random drug testing every month, chores and house meetings, and curfews that loosen as residents earn trust.
The first 90 days
Get steady, rebuild, move forward. We help with a budget, VA and recovery connections, savings and credit, and a plan for the next place a resident will call home.
Where we serve
Tampa Bay, seven counties strong.
We serve veterans from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, Citrus and Manatee counties. Our homes are in the St. Petersburg area of Pinellas County and the Brandon area of Hillsborough County.
Work with us
Maintenance and trade jobs, veterans first. Apply for work
Own a home someday
VA loan education and a path toward homeownership. Get homeownership help
For case managers
VA social workers, treatment courts, discharge planners and families: one call, not thirty. How referrals work
Our organization
Who we are, on paper.
VHV provides housing without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. People in recovery are protected as people with disabilities. To ask for a reasonable accommodation, call 813-471-5648.
Documents
- IRS determination letter
Letter 947, dated November 21, 2024. It confirms that Veterans Housing Veterans Inc. (EIN 86-1550613) is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) as a public charity and that gifts to us are tax-deductible. Our street address is blacked out for privacy.
PDF, 2 pages, 132 KB
View the IRS determination letter (PDF, opens in a new tab)Download the IRS determination letter (PDF)
Need another document for a grant, a gift or a referral? Email info@veteranshousingveterans.com.
- Legal name
- Veterans Housing Veterans Inc.
- Organization
- Florida not-for-profit corporation
- Tax status
- 501(c)(3) public charity
- EIN
- 86-1550613
- Transparency
2026 Bronze Seal of Transparency on Candid (formerly GuideStar)- Donations
- Tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law
- Board of directors
- George Schembri III and Roxana Novoa
- Service area
- Tampa Bay: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, Citrus and Manatee counties
- Mailing address
- 2000 E 12th Ave Unit 5026
Tampa, FL 33675 - Phone
- 813-471-5648
- info@veteranshousingveterans.com
Every open bed is a light we keep on.
Apply for a bed, refer a veteran, or help keep the lights on for the next one who needs it.