Press Release

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. joined representatives today from Mercy Housing, Veterans Resource Centers of America, the City of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency and the Sacramento Veterans Administrations Medical Center for the groundbreaking on phase one of Mather Veterans Village (MVV).

"Our veterans deserve our gratitude and support for the sacrifices they've made, and this facility will provide local veterans with critically-needed housing options and supportive services," said Rep. Bera who worked with federal agencies to secure more Veteran housing vouchers for the Sacramento region. "I commend all of the partners who have worked to make Mather Veterans Village happen; it will serve as a model throughout the country for how to provide quality care for our veterans and help us honor the men and women who have served our country.

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MVV will be operated by Mercy Housing in partnership with the Sacramento Veteran Resource Center. It is a planned transitional and permanent supportive housing development that will serve disabled and homeless veterans. The multi-phase project will consist of 100 units of permanent supportive housing and approximately 60 transitional beds. MVV will consist of a service-rich living environment, while providing a community feel for veterans, to include common areas, group dining, and classrooms.

The new community's three phases will be situated on 3.65 acres site of the former Mather Air Force Base adjacent to the Sacramento VA Medical Center. Phase one consists of 50 newly constructed permanent supportive homes. An existing building on site, the Infirmary, will be renovated and adapted to provide offices, meeting rooms and community space as part of Phase 1.

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Congressman Bera has worked in other ways to deliver for veterans by helping veterans in his district collect more than $1 million dollars in benefits owed to them. He also co-authored and passed bipartisan legislation – the Healthcare for Heroes Act which constructs a streamlined and easily accessibly electronic health record system for service members and veterans. This initiative will have the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs merge their electronic health records, to save money, help make the transition to civilian life easier for veterans, and will help address the VA backlog.

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.