Leaders from around San Joaquin County joined the county’s Housing Authority on Monday in French Camp to break ground at the location of a project to house homeless veterans.
The $27 million project, Victory Gardens, will be located at 295 W. Mathews Road and will have construction completed by approximately winter 2022, according to the county’s Housing Authority.
The property will consist of 49 affordable housing units, a community garden, a common area used for socializing, a community kitchen and a computer room with high-speed internet for veterans to use at their convenience.
For the first time, a San Joaquin County project received state funds from the state’s Veteran Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program to aid in the financial process of completing Victory Gardens.
VHHP covered $6.8 million for the development project and federal low-income housing tax credits helped with $19.6 million in funding.
According to Peter Ragsdale, executive director for the county’s Housing Authority, the location of the units will be near the new regional Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic being built, as well as near San Joaquin General Hospital.
“With the construction of the new VA Clinic, this is the right time to build housing for our homeless vets at an ideal location,” Ragsdale said. “The combination of affordable housing and adjacent quality health care makes Victory Gardens a success for these deserving heroes.”