Welcome Home: Breaking Ground on the Next Chapter of Mather Veterans Village

Last Thursday, Nation’s Finest gathered in Rancho Cordova with partners, community leaders, and longtime supporters to mark a meaningful milestone for Veterans in the Sacramento region. Together, we broke ground on Phase IV of Mather Veterans Village.

We kept coming back to two simple words that day: Welcome home.

At Mather Veterans Village, that idea has always meant more than a set of keys. From the beginning, this has been a place where Veterans can come inside, catch their breath, and start to rebuild with the right support around them. Nation’s Finest is part of that every day, working alongside residents to help them turn housing into something steady and lasting.

Phase IV will bring 70 new affordable homes for senior Veterans, continuing the growth of a community more than 15 years in the making. What started as a vision on the grounds of the former Mather Air Force Base has become one of the region’s most innovative approaches to Veteran housing.

Through Nation’s Finest, Veterans living at Mather Veterans Village have access to case management, counseling, healthcare coordination, help navigating benefits, and support in finding employment. These are the supports that make it possible to move forward and thrive, not just get by.

The need for this kind of community remains urgent. In Sacramento County, Veterans make up an estimated eight percent of the unhoused population, which is roughly 550 individuals. Across the country, about 33,000 Veterans experience homelessness on any given night. Phase IV is one more step toward changing that reality.

The design of this next phase reflects that same intention. The three story building will be arranged in a C shape to bring in natural light and create a stronger sense of connection. Located across from earlier phases, it continues to build a campus centered on wellness, community, and long-term stability.

Thursday was also a reminder that this work doesn’t happen alone.

Mather Veterans Village exists because of long-standing partnerships. Phase IV is supported by a network of local, state, and federal partners, including Mercy Housing California, the City of Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County, Congressman Ami Bera, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, and many others who have helped move this vision forward.

The land for this phase was donated by the City of Rancho Cordova, and the project itself is the result of close collaboration between Mercy Housing California and Nation’s Finest. Together, this partnership brings both housing and services under one roof, so Veterans have what they need to stay and succeed.

Earlier phases have already delivered 160 permanent and transitional homes for Veterans and their families. Additional phases are in early planning, including housing for Veteran families. When complete, the broader Mather redevelopment is expected to support more than 5,000 Veterans through housing, healthcare, and community services.

Construction on Phase IV is now underway, with new homes expected to open in August 2027. These homes will serve senior Veterans earning up to 30 percent of the area median income, reaching those with the greatest need.

As we stood together last week, shovels in hand, there was a shared understanding of what this moment represents. Not just a new building, but another step forward in creating a community where Veterans are seen, supported, and able to move forward with dignity.

For the Veterans who will one day call this place home, that work matters in a very real way.

This progress is possible because people show up. Partners, supporters, and community members who believe that every Veteran deserves a place to call home.

If you want to be part of what comes next, you can support this work through a donation, partner with us in your community, or help share the story so more people understand what is possible when we come together with purpose.

Welcome home starts here.