Groundbreaking Launches Mather Veterans Village Phase IV

Today, Mercy Housing, Nation's Finest, the City of Rancho Cordova, and the County of Sacramento, joined by Congressman Ami Bera, gathered to break ground on Mather Veterans Village Phase IV, expanding permanent supportive housing for homeless and disabled veterans in Sacramento County.

"America's commitment to our veterans must last a lifetime," said Representative Ami Bera. "I was proud to secure $1 million in federal funding for this project and continue to fight in Washington to expand access to supportive housing for veterans in our community and across the country. Today's groundbreaking is an important step forward in honoring that commitment to our veterans and ensuring that they have access to the support and stability they deserve."

Phase IV will create 70 new, all-electric homes for senior homeless veterans, continuing the buildout of a campus that's more than 15 years in the making. Designed in a C-shape to promote natural light, wellness, and connection, the three-story building will rise directly across from the earlier phases of the Village and deepen the region's commitment to ensuring veterans have stable homes and supportive services.

Tiffany Bohee, President of Mercy Housing California, opened the ceremony by acknowledging the lasting collaboration that has shaped the Village since its inception.

"Mather Veterans Village reflects what is possible when committed partners stand together in service of veterans. We are deeply grateful to the City of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Nation's Finest, and our many local, state, and federal partners who have stayed the course for more than fifteen years. On ground that once trained generations of service members, Phase IV extends that legacy-expanding a veteran-led community built on stability, dignity, and peer support, and bringing us closer to a future where every veteran has a safe place to call home."

Mather Veterans Village is the Sacramento region's first dedicated affordable housing community for veterans who have experienced homelessness. The campus occupies land once part of Mather Air Force Base, decommissioned in 1993 and transformed through a redevelopment plan centered on housing, services, jobs, and public amenities.

Earlier phases of the Village have already delivered 160 permanent and transitional homes:

• Phase I and Phase III, developed by Mercy Housing California (100 permanent supportive homes, opened 2016 and 2019)
• Phase II, developed by Veterans Housing Development Corporation (60 transitional units, completed 2020)

• Phase V,developed by Mercy Housing California (a 60-unit community for veteran families, is now in early design and financing)

Once all phases are complete, the broader Mather redevelopment - including the VA Medical Center, California Governor's Office of Emergency Services campus, and Mather Community Campus - is expected to support more than 5,000 veterans across housing, healthcare, and services.

Rancho Cordova Mayor Garrett Gatewood highlighted the city's deep, ongoing commitment to welcoming and supporting veterans as essential members of the community.

"Providing new apartment homes for homeless and disabled veterans at Mather Veterans Village has been a point of pride for the City of Rancho Cordova, especially given our city's military heritage," said Mayor Garrett Gatewood. "Breaking ground today to build an additional 70 homes for senior homeless and disabled veterans-and working with our partners to develop and fund this project-is making a real, measurable difference in the lives of those who have served our country."

Phase IV was financed through coordinated support from local, state, and federal partners, including:

• $31.5 million in Homekey+ funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)

• Supplemental operating subsidies from HCD

• Funding from the City of Rancho Cordova and
• $3 million in combined funding from Sacramento County facilitated by Supervisors Pat Hume and Phil Serna

• $1million in federal funding secured by Congressman Ami Bera

• Sacramento County fee waivers supporting project feasibility

The City of Rancho Cordova donated the land for Phase IV following a competitive RFP awarding the site to Mercy Housing California and Veterans Housing Development Corporation, the development arm of Nation's Finest. Nation's Finest will continue to provide supportive services, and Mercy Housing California will serve as the onsite property manager.

County Supervisors Pat Hume (District 5) and Phil Serna (District 1) underscored the county's commitment to building housing solutions that reflect dignity, belonging, and long-term stability for veterans.

"Through the combined support of County ARPA funds, City of Rancho Cordova and County leadership, and experienced development partners, we are turning a shared vision into a lasting community asset," said Sacramento County District 5 Supervisor Pat Hume. "This project is a vital step toward addressing housing insecurity and expanding the resources available to those most in need."

Chris Flaherty, CEO of Nation's Finest, emphasized the power of consistent, veteran centered partnerships in shaping the Mather community.

"When we talk about Mather, we should celebrate its compounding effects," Flaherty stated. "Mather Veterans Village represents more than housing. It represents stability, dignity, and opportunity for veterans to rebuild their lives with the support they deserve. It should be a model to emulate because it tangibly shows what is possible when communities and organizations, public and private, come together to invest in veterans."

Veterans continue to be significantly overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness.

Phase IV directly targets this need, offering permanent homes enriched with onsite supportive services, including case management, counseling, healthcare and benefits navigation, employment resources, and community building opportunities. These services build on the proven model already operating across the Village's permanent and transitional housing.

Construction on Phase IV is now underway, and the new homes are expected to open in August 2027. The community will serve senior veterans earning up to 30% of the area median income and continue the Village's veteran-led approach to healing, peer support, and trauma informed design.

The groundbreaking concluded with a ceremonial turning of shovels and site tours of the completed phases - a celebration of collective vision, persistence, and partnership that have carried Mather Veterans Village from concept to reality.