Wilton's Female Soldiers, Forgotten Heroes prevailed; homeless female veterans will soon have rooms of their own.

After more than two years and three rejections, the organization finally found a property in Bridgeport, what will become the first designated transitional supportive housing for female service members in Connecticut. Bridgeport's Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved the organization's application last week.

"It was almost anti-climatic when they sat down and said it was approved after all the drama we've been through. We just couldn't believe it," said Wilton resident Shalini Madaras, who led the effort.

The first veterans will likely begin moving in the fall of 2011. Sheer will power pushed the group while bstacles seemed to rise at nearly every turn. The most recent occurred this past June when Bridgeport's Planning & Zoning Commission rejected an application for property at 893 Clinton Ave.

In spite of that setback, Madaras and all the FSFH volunteers never stopped their search. After the recent rejection, FSFH barely paused before pursuing another property. They found one in the same vicinity, at 66 Elmwood Ave.

The former rooming house is in close proximity to Homes for the Brave. It also has a bus line nearby to facilitate access to jobs. And the Veterans Administration Hospital isn't far either.

That the house was already zoned as a rooming house made it easier for the Zoning Board to digest, Madaras said.

Madaras said the group still must appear before the Planning and Zoning commission at the end of August, but she doesn't anticipate any problems. The group hopes to close on the property in September.

The house will ultimately accommodate 17 individuals - including mothers with children under two (five rooms will be outfitted for this), and three handicapped beds. 

Right now the property still has a rooming house feel to it, said Madaras. A lot of work is needed to make it feel "homey," she said. It will need to be gutted and renovated to create a single-family home atmosphere with a common family room, common kitchen and common recreation room. Handicapped fittings are also necessary.

The whole project will cost an estimated $1.3 million, said Madaras. So far FSFH has a raised grand total of $250,000 towards a house. The group's May gala raised $82,000. They want to host a fall fundraiser at the Wilton Library.  FSFH also held a small fundraiser at Wilton's Grange Fair on Aug. 22.

"Everyone is excited about it. It's a labor of love," Madaras said. "You can't imagine the pride the program will bring to this area."