Neatly dressed, with a military bearing and a cheerful, positive energy, 57-year-old Richard Leyda looks every bit the ex-Marine and Vietnam veteran. It's hard to believe that for much of the last two years this dignified man slept in shelters and spent long days on the street.

His homelessness came to an end in January 2008 when Richard became one of the first of 92 residents of Plymouth's new Langdon and Anne Simons Senior Apartments. Richard arrived to find a furnished studio apartment of his own, one of 20 apartments reserved for homeless veterans, complete with a welcome basket full of necessities.

"There were new towels. A toothbrush. I looked, and there were pots and pans and silverware," he marvels. "When you're just moving around you don't even think about those kinds of things."

After his mother died in 2006, Richard tried living in a hotel but it was too expensive, so Richard slept at homeless shelters while doing odd jobs and saving up to get an apartment. When he got pneumonia, things went downhill fast. Richard mentioned to the doctors at the hospital that his feet were increasingly numb, making it difficult for him to walk and stand. They quickly diagnosed diabetes, and Richard soon found himself applying for disability. He continued to rely on shelters for a place to sleep, and can still recite the strict shelter schedule: "You got to sign up for a place at 9:30 a.m. 5:45 p.m. there's chapel. Then, eat. By 8 p.m. you're in bed. By 6 a.m., they see to it that you're up and gone."

Richard began volunteering in the kitchen at one shelter and the social services staff there realized that the new Simons Apartments would be a good match for Richard. Today Richard has a clean, comfortable studio apartment and sings its praises. "There's a laundry on every floor, and 50 cents a load is a good price," he says, noting that he’s now looking for an ironing board.

Supportive services at the Simons Apartments include assistance with economic and health issues—including an on-site nurse. This means Richard now has help making sure his diabetes is under control. He recently got much-needed dentures and celebrated by cooking a steak in his new kitchen. Cooking is one of the main things he missed while homeless.

Richard says he’s looking forward to socializing in the resident lounge. "There's going to be TV and I want to watch it with somebody else," he says. "This is the best place I've ever been in my life."

Richard enjoys grocery shopping near his new home.