AUGUSTA, Maine — The Fisher House at the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta hasn't hosted families since October, officials with the VA and Fisher House confirmed Tuesday.
Since October, 98 families have had to stay at hotels paid for by Fisher House's national chapter, according to Vice President of Communications at Fisher House Michelle Horn.
That's roughly 10 percent of around a thousand families hosted by the Togus Fisher House since it opened in early 2020.
"This situation is serious, but we're working with the VA to find the right way forward to get this house back in operation," Horn said.
Horn added that housing families in hotels adds up to around $21,000, and a large portion comes from points and donations to the Fisher House organization.
Officials could not point to a direct cause of the building's failure to host families but did say there is an active investigation to find out. VA and Fisher House representatives called it a settlement issue, that something is wrong with the construction.
"The details of the assessment is just not something I can go into further detail with," Jonathan Barczyk, a communications representative with the Togus VA Medical Center, said.
Officials also could not say whether there was a timeline for the home to reopen to host families.
NEWS CENTER Maine only learned of the closure when a viewer emailed the newsroom.
When the Togus Fisher House opened, it was built right across the street from the Togus VA Medical Center. It's designed, like the dozens of Fisher Houses around the nation, to allow veteran families to stay close to their relative, who is dealing with medical care at the hospital.
"I've been at this house since it opened... I love my families and my veterans," Patrick Crowley said, the Fisher House manager for the VA. "We’ve been able to keep in touch with our families."
Crowley said he or other VA representatives will see families that have to stay in hotels as opposed to the Fisher House.
Representatives said that while there is no timeline for when the assessment of the house will be complete, that will give them a better idea of when it can be open for new families.