On Thursday, Senator Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids) presented a resolution asking the United States federal government to honor veterans by funding construction costs for proposed veterans homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston.

Over $31 million in state funding has already been secured for the three veterans homes when the 2018 bonding bill was passed, but the homes still face hurdles and deadlines before they secure their crucial federal funding match.

“Even after securing state dollars for the veterans homes in 2018 these project continues to remain at the top of my list, “said Sen. Justin Eichorn. “All three homes are only inches from the goal line, but it was important to introduce this resolution to reaffirming our statewide commitment to the rural projects and the thousands of underserved veterans that they will eventually support.” 

The 2018 bonding bill provided $12.4 million in state funding specifically for construction of the Bemidji veterans home with the construction of the home to proceed on the north side of Bemidji, on land donated by Sanford Health. The plan from there was to secure federal grants by September 2020 and to have the project completed by or before October 2025.

Currently, the closest veterans home in the region is located in Fergus Falls, a 128-mile drive from Bemidji making the northcentral Minnesota’s veterans population one of the least served populations in the state. When completed, the project is anticipated to serve nearly 26,802 of Minnesota’s veterans.