TAMPA, Fla. — A newly renovated 60-bed shelter for veterans experiencing homelessness is now open in Tampa, with the goal of helping residents move into permanent housing.
The Hillsborough CARE Center is a partnership between Hillsborough County and St. Vincent de Paul CARES. The county contributed more than $4 million from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership program to improve the property and repair the buildings.
Army veteran Michael Miller, who recently moved to Tampa from Los Angeles, is the first veteran to stay at the shelter. He said he was quickly placed in a room.
“Within about an hour or two hours I was in a bed,” Miller said.
Miller said he was impressed by the quality of the room, which includes a closet and a lock to secure his belongings. He also said he has access to food and a counselor who will help him plan his next steps.
“To come somewhere where I could literally come in one day, make a phone call, they tell me that they have a room, and I’m in a bed within the hour with food,” Miller said. “The chef is going to cook food for me, and also whatever I need, they’ll make sure that I have it. It’s unthinkable, and it’s a blessing.”
Michael Raposa, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul CARES, said the organization took over the facility in February 2025. The property had previously housed homeless veterans under a different owner, but Raposa said it needed significant work to meet the organization’s standards.
“You ever start a tiny little project in your house, and then you move something, and then something else falls apart? Well, that’s what this was,” Raposa said.
Raposa said renovations took nearly a year and a half and included new electrical systems, roofs, plumbing, and other improvements.
“These men and women gave up their lives and gave up their families and sacrificed for us,” Raposa said. “They deserve the very best, as they’re trying to get themselves back on their feet.”