- Utah State University is collaborating with Nathan Ruben to open veteran housing.
- The housing complex aims to support student veterans facing homelessness and isolation.
- USA Project Valor funds a room for homeless veterans and hosts a benefit event.
HYDE PARK, Cache County — Since Andy Allen took the role as executive director of Utah State University's Veterans Resource Office three years ago, he has personally witnessed three instances of student veterans experiencing homelessness.
In the most recent example, Allen said a student came to USU trying to use their GI Bill — a law that provides educational benefits, among other benefits, to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces — but ran into problems.
"The GI Bill benefits don't kick in until the end of the month, and sometimes students find themselves without those financial benefits for a 30-day period. They may or may not, for various reasons, have a place to stay or be able to afford renting a place in town until they receive those benefits," Allen said.
Having an up-close and personal experience with the struggle many student veterans face, Allen's office is teaming up with Cache Valley entrepreneur Nathan Ruben and USA Project Valor to open a dedicated housing complex for student veterans in Hyde Park. The complex is set to welcome its first students in August.
Beyond assisting student veterans experiencing homelessness, the unit, owned by Ruben, will also serve as a place for student veterans from all walks of life to foster connection and camaraderie among their peers.
"Loneliness is a real contributor to failure for veterans," Allen said. "They eat, sleep, train and work as teams in the military 24/7, for years. Then one day, in the blink of an eye, they find themselves alone. At USU, we are determined to help student veterans thrive again by finding camaraderie with fellow veterans in a student veteran housing complex."
The unit will include seven rooms specifically for student veterans, with one reserved for short-term use by a homeless student veteran. USA Project Valor has committed to pay a year's rent for that particular room, Allen added.
"That room will be set aside in case a student, during this 2025-2026 academic school year, finds themselves homeless," Allen said. "It's a large home, it's in a great neighborhood, and it's in relatively close proximity to Utah State University."
Additionally, USA Project Valor has partnered with USU's Veterans Resource Office and the town of Nibley to host a 5K race, walk and ride event with proceeds directly benefiting Hyde Park room for homeless student veterans and others just like it in Cache Valley.
"This coming fall semester is our trial run of doing this to see if it works out. And if it does, I hope that there are other businessmen like this amazing Nathan Ruben who will be willing to have a property set aside for veteran housing. And, who knows? This may just be the first of many," Allen said.
