Army staff sergeant given new home in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Army Staff Sgt. Joe Gutierrez was welcomed home Saturday by Building Homes for Heroes, an organization that awards mortgage-free homes to veterans.

The organization builds new homes or renovates foreclosures for severely injured veterans nationwide, according to Vicky Liu, the organization’s construction team leader.

“Soldiers fill out an application online and choose the area they want to live in,” she said. “Once we match them with a house, we’ll do a custom renovation so each home is different and fits their needs.”

According to Liu, Gutierrez’s two-story home on Dicentra Road in Las Vegas was a foreclosure that was donated by Chase Bank.

The home features a custom backyard with a water feature, which is known to calm post-traumatic stress disorder, she said. The mental health condition is common among veterans after they return home from combat.

“(Gutierrez) has ringing in his ears, and we’ve been told by doctors that the sound of running water can calm that,” Liu said.

Las Vegas-based Sierra, LLC, installed a heating and air conditioning system that was donated by its supplier, Johnson Controls.

Sierra Operations Manager Troy Putman said the company felt it was important to give back to veterans.

“It’s important because soldiers give the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “I’m a veteran and so is everyone in my family as well as some of the owners of the company, and it’s something we take great pride in.”

According to Liu, the Gutierrez home marks the 15th house that Building Homes for Heroes has given to veterans so far this year.

“Veterans are so brave to fight for our freedom, and without their fight we wouldn’t have freedom,” she said. “We’re giving them homes to help them slowly rebuild their lives and plan for their future.”

Contact Ann Friedman at afriedman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Find her on Twitter: @AnnFriedmanRJ.