Complaints arise during renovation at DC veterans housing center

WASHINGTON - Under the username @VAHousingDC, a Twitter user posted pictures and video showing unfinished floors, exposed pipes, faulty paper towel dispensers and more inside the Southeast Veterans Service Center. The user also contacted FOX 5 News asking for help.

We paid a visit to the Congress Heights facility where Billy Blackwell gave us a tour.

"When we took the carpet up at first, it still had a lot of glue on it, so that's why we had to put the paper down," he said.

"The carpet is not done yet," said Charles Morris. "They've taken bids for it, and pretty soon, they'll be in to put it down."

Morris is one of 50 veterans who live at Southeast Veterans Service Center.

Morris doesn't know who is behind the complaints filling the @VAHousingDC Twitter timeline, but he said the three-story building is simply undergoing renovation.

The Southeast Veterans Service Center is a non-profit organization that provides housing and support for homeless veterans.

"People always have something to complain about I think," said Morris.

However, the center's executive director Gregory Crawford admits it has taken longer than expected to complete the work.

"Our guys deserve much better than that," said Crawford.

When asked by FOX 5 if veterans be living under these conditions, Crawford responded, "No, not at all and that's why we're making these upgrades."

Crawford said the upgrades will cost at least $40,000.

"We've just been back and forth with a couple of contractors, and our funds, securing the funds to make those necessary upgrades to make this a good place," he said.

Crawford said contractors are coming next week to tie up any loose ends, including the incomplete floors.