SAN ANTONIO — Navy Veteran Gary Dear had been living in his car. So when non-profit Endeavors found him a room at Granada Senior Living in downtown San Antonio, he checked it out right away. A leasing agent asked for a $250 deposit, which Dear quickly handed over.
"He said 'give me a 250 dollar money order and it's yours'. I went and got it and gave it to him," Dear said.
But Dear then realized that there was no parking on site for his car. He said there were parking lots around the area but the closest one that would work would still cost around $130 a month. Dear then decided the room wasn't going to work and asked for his $250 back.
"He said 'OK but it will take 30 days to get your money back.' I asked 'why so long?' He said it was the way they run the business," Dear said.
Dear came back in 30 days to ask for the money again but wasn't able to make any progress. A week after that he reached out to KENS 5.
KENS collected proof that Dear had payed, and that he had not stayed in the room, and reached out to Grenada Homes to find out what was going on.
Property Manager JoAnne Pacheco said the $250 was likely a deposit and those were typically not refunded. Still, she said she would look into the issue and see what what possible.
Pacheco contacted KENS 5 back the very same day with a resolution. It turns out Dear had already been sent a refund but it was not to the address he was expecting. Pacheco had the refund re-issued to an address that would work for the veteran. Dear had a friend living in San Antonio that was helping him out.
"My accounting department is reissuing the check and he should expect it in about 10 business days," Pacheco said in an email.
While the business was not required to give that money back, Dear said he hopes to see the money soon.
"That would be lovely," Dear said.