Military Family To Receive New Mortgage-Free Home In Zephyrhills

ZEPHYRHILLS, FL — This Nov. 11 will be a Veterans Day the Johnson family will never forget.

It's the day the young military family will walk through the doors of their own new, energy-efficient and mortgage-free Meritage home in Zephyrhills.

As part of the Permanent Homes for Veterans program, Meritage Homes and Operation Homefront chose Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Garfield Johnson, his wife, Tia, and their two young children as the recipients of a 1,840-square-foot, four-bedroom, single-story home in the new Bristol Meadows community in Zephyrhills.

The home will not only give the couple a permanent place to watch their children grow up but will locate them closer to extended family.

Johnson joined the Navy in 2010 and served 11 years as an aircraft structural mechanic. After suffering a near-fatal accident on the flight deck, Johnson was placed on medical retirement.

“This new home makes a huge difference for my family and brings us hope and stability as I transition out of military service,” Johnson said. “Words cannot express how thankful we are to Operation Homefront, to Meritage Homes and to all the people out there who have the heart and the will to help veterans. We are so very grateful for the opportunity to create a stronger, more stable future.”

The Johnson family currently lives in San Diego at Operation Homefront’s Transitional Housing Village, which has aided the family in their return to civilian life. Moving closer to extended family in Florida will provide the Johnsons additional support as they raise their young children.

The single-story home is a modern open floorplan with high-end features such as a spacious kitchen island and quartz countertops. Meritage’s M.Connected Home™ Automation Suite is also included, and provides a smart door lock, an advanced thermostat and a smart garage door.

The energy-efficient home features ENERGY STAR® appliances, spray-foam insulation, a multi-speed HVAC unit, MERV-13 air filtration and energy-efficient windows, which will help lower the monthly utility bills while maintaining healthy indoor air quality.

“At Meritage Homes, we are extremely appreciative of the brave men and women serving in the Armed Forces. We are beyond proud to continue our work with Operation Homefront and to support their goal of building strong, stable and secure military families,” said Phillippe Lord, CEO of Meritage Homes. “Looking back on the previous seven years of our participation in the Permanent Homes for Veterans program, we are thankful to the numerous vendors that have donated time and materials to make this possible. We are honored to be able to present the Johnson family with a new energy-efficient home in the coming months and bring them closer to their family in Florida.”

Since its inception in 2012, the Permanent Homes for Veterans program has placed more than 700 military families in mortgage-free homes and deeded more than $90 million in home equity.

The homes are donated by corporate partners, including Meritage Homes and other major financial services companies and home builders.

The Permanent Homes for Veterans program provides veterans and their families the opportunity to move into an Operation Homefront home and work directly with housing caseworkers and financial counselors to learn and prepare for homeownership. Once completing the program successfully, the family will receive the deed to the home. This is the 14th new home Meritage Homes has constructed and donated to military families.

“We are extremely proud to be able, thanks to our amazing Meritage Homes partners, to help the Johnson family start strong and stay strong in the Zephyrhills community,” said Retired Brig. Gen. John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. “Because of their very generous home donation, this very deserving military family will have the opportunity to thrive— not simply struggle to get by—in a place they have worked so hard to protect.”