FORKS — Cheri Tinker found an early Christmas present in her email last week.
Tinker, the North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network’s executive director, learned last Thursday that the nonprofit had been awarded $876,293 to provide more housing for aging veterans in Forks.
The Forks-based nonprofit will use the state grant to pay for the construction and delivery of a seven-bedroom, six-bathroom modular home on a vacant lot near Sarge’s Place in Forks.
James “Jimmy” Hobucket, a founding board member of the North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network, died in 2015 at the age of 71.
“We’ve been working on creating this housing for the last two to three years, so we’re really tickled to have the money,” Tinker said of the state Department of Commerce grant.
“We applied back in June or July. Everything has been delayed because of COVID, and we just found out on Christmas Eve. It was quite a lovely Christmas gift.”
The 3,200-square-foot “Hobucket House” is expected to open on Ash Street in August.
It is named for James “Jimmy” Hobucket, a founding board member of the North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network who died in 2015 at the age of 71.
Hobucket was a Vietnam Veteran, service officer, Quileute warrior and a “tireless advocate for veterans,” Tinker said.
“We really wanted to be able to honor Jimmy,” Tinker said in a Monday interview.
“He would drive people back and forth to Seattle and Tacoma for their doctors’ appointments. … He was just a really good guy, so it’s a nice way to be able to honor him.”
The ranch-style Hobucket House will be built by Timberland Homes in Auburn, disassembled and trucked to Forks in several pods.
The modular home will be reassembled on a concrete foundation on the 1.3-acre lot across Ash Street from Sarge’s Place, the network’s flagship veterans’ shelter.
“We already own the land,” Tinker said.
“It will just look like a big, ranch-style house.”
Before the Hobucket House can be delivered, Clear River Construction & Design of Forks will pour a concrete foundation and perform such site work as electrical, water and sewer infrastructure.
Timberland Homes will reassemble the house with a targeted completion in August.
“It’s quite an endeavor, and they want to make sure it’s as dry as possible, which always can be questionable for us out here,” Tinker said.
The total cost of the Hobucket House, including site work, plans and environmental review, is about $940,000.
Once completed, seven veterans who have been staying at Sarge’s Place will move into the Hobucket House.
“It will actually be a communal setting, so all of the vets living there will have their own bedroom,” Tinker said.
“Some will have a private bath.”
A house manager will live on site. A social worker, case manager and volunteer caregivers will provide services to the veterans.
“It will be really nice for us to be able to have that compassionate care kind of services wrapped around Hobucket House,” Tinker said.
The vast majority of those served by the North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network are Vietnam veterans.
“In the last three years, we’ve had three vets that have passed away, two due to cancer and one due to COPD,” Tinker said.
“We were well-aware that we had a lot of medical challenges with the vets that were coming here, and there’s just not enough housing. So our nonprofit decided to start developing Hobucket, and we were looking at something that was a faster construction.”
The Timberland Homes structure is a stick-built type of modular construction that can withstand Forks’ 12 feet of annual rainfall, Tinker said.
“They’re beautiful houses,” she added.
“We didn’t want to have cheap modular construction. Some are not as nice. Some are lovely.”
While the Hobucket House will come with appliances, the network is seeking donations for new furniture, including a sofa and love seat, washer/dryer, tables, dressers and beds.
“We really prefer new so that it starts off fresh and is respectful,” Tinker said.
“We only buy new here at the Sarge’s Place, at our shelter, as well. It’s just a dignity issue.”
To donate to Hobucket House, visit sargesveteransupport.com or send checks to NORVHN, 250 Ash Ave. Forks, WA 98331. Specify the gift is for the Hobucket House.
The North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network also operates the Outpost in Port Angeles and Camp Sol Duc in Forks.
Tinker said the agency would ask the Quileute Tribe to bless the land for Hobucket House and to help honor Jimmy Hobucket. An opening ceremony will take place once the house is reassembled.
The $876,293 Commerce grant was part of a $1 million pot of state funding for the modular housing construction.
Tinker expected the grants to be announced in January because of delays associated with COVID-19.
“It really was incredible, and I couldn’t believe it,” Tinker said of the surprise.
“It was a really great Christmas present.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
