Rancho Cordova is gearing up to add another major piece to Mather Veterans Village, a three-story building that will bring dozens of permanent supportive apartments for older and formerly unhoused veterans. This latest expansion is the fourth phase of the campus on the former Mather Air Force Base, right next to the VA medical center, and continues a long-running push to cluster veteran housing and services in one place. City officials and nonprofit partners say construction is slated to start in March, with the new homes expected to open over the next several years.
What Phase 4 Will Build
Phase four is planned to deliver about 70 apartment homes, most of them one-bedroom units, aimed at senior and formerly unhoused veterans, according to The Sacramento Bee. The Bee reports the project will also feature a community building and on-site parking, and that the city expects this phase to be completed by March 2028. Designers are planning a low-rise, three-story structure that fits in with the village’s existing garden-style layout.
What’s Already On The Site
Mather Veterans Village already includes several completed phases that together house more than 160 veteran households, including about 100 permanent supportive units and a 47-bed transitional housing program, according to Mercy Housing. The campus opened its first permanent building in 2016 and added more permanent and transitional units in 2021, with veteran-focused nonprofits providing on-site resident services. Supporters say the location, directly across from the Northern California VA Medical Center, makes it easier for residents to access health care and federal benefits.
Who’s Paying For It
Sacramento County has signed off on transferring 2.2 acres of land and 3 million dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the city to make phase four possible, according to a county announcement reprinted by the Rancho Cordova Independent. The city has also lined up state and federal support, including a 1 million dollar federal allocation and a Proposition 1 Homekey+ award, which officials say close the remaining funding gaps, according to the City of Rancho Cordova. City staff say nonprofit partners and the nearby VA medical center are expected to keep providing on-site services once the new units open.
Services, Timeline and Cost
Officials say residents in both the transitional and permanent units at Mather Veterans Village receive wraparound services, including case management, behavioral health treatment, employment assistance and community programming that is built into daily life at the campus. Mercy Housing and previous project materials describe shared spaces such as a community kitchen and a computer lab for residents. City officials told The Sacramento Bee that phase four is expected to cost between 35 million and 40 million dollars and to be finished by March 2028.
Why It Matters
The expansion comes as local leaders are under pressure to bring down veteran homelessness. The Sacramento region’s 2024 point-in-time count found about 548 veterans experiencing homelessness, roughly 8% of the county’s overall unhoused population, according to CapRadio. Supporters of the project say permanent supportive housing on a single campus, with services available on-site, can reach veterans who do not fit easily into traditional shelter or motel programs.
The city says design and permitting work for phase four are still underway, and that details for a ceremonial groundbreaking will be announced closer to March. For veterans or service providers looking for referral or application information, officials direct people to program partners and to Mercy Housing for contact details. For a deeper look at funding, partners and timelines, see the City of Rancho Cordova news release and Mercy Housing’s property page.
