Veterans leaving extended stay hotel looking for new housing, furnishings by end of June

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Veterans, along with other long-term residents at an extended-stay hotel in North Charleston have until the end of the month to find somewhere else to live.

After the Suburban Lodge Extended Stay Hotel off Dorchester road was bought by B & V Hospitality, LLC in May, the longtime residents living there found out they had just days to move, but veteran Savannah Henderson said he’s glad those living there received an extension until the end of June.

“I was a little down because I had been through this before,” Henderson said. “When we’re out here like this, this is like community and we’ve got to care about each other.”

Over the past month, the hunt was on to find a new affordable housing unit for him and dozens of other veterans working with the VA.

Henderson said he has a lead on a unit in downtown Charleston, but is racing against the clock to move in.

“For right now, on me it’s just a waiting period,” Henderson said. “Everybody is going to different places.”

Henderson’s friend, Kim Harmon, has been bringing food to the men and women at the hotel since the pandemic started.

“I said I’m going to keep coming until Covid is over but Covid hasn’t ended so here we are 66 weeks later,” Harmon said.

But now, she said her mission has shifted, to make sure she can help furnish new apartments people will be moving into.

“I am also collecting furniture. I’ve gotten a lot of bulk items,” Harmon said. “The main things we still need are the little stuff like end tables, lamps, coffee tables, small dining room tables because they’re not going to have big apartments.”

“I wasn’t planning on taking all that, nothing but my clothes, my essentials and what I need,” Henderson said. “But they’re going to help me with my furniture.”

Harmon said she knows at least five of the veterans will be going together to a new low-income housing community in Charleston.

“I’m glad they’re going somewhere better,” Harmon said. “The goal all along was to get them into better places.”

Live 5 News has reached out to property managers for comment.

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