ROSWELL — Veterans in the metro Atlanta area have no dedicated long-term care facility nearby — and 126 of them could gain one in Roswell.
The city council voted unanimously to sign a formal agreement that could bring a $90 million long-term care center for veterans to the city. No site has been chosen yet, and $35 million still needs to be raised before the project can move forward.
What’s Happening: The agreement, called a memorandum of understanding, is a written commitment between the city, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, and the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation to plan and develop a residential care facility for 126 veterans. The document is not a construction contract. It is a first step that allows the Foundation to legally begin collecting private donations for the project.
The Money: The total cost is estimated at $90 million, not counting land. The federal government has committed $65 million through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program, which pays for long-term veterans care facilities when states raise matching funds. The remaining $35 million must come from private donations. If that goal is not reached, donors get their money back. The city of Roswell will not contribute or manage any money.
What’s Important: Georgia has no dedicated long-term veterans care facility in the metro Atlanta area. Neighboring states including Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee have three times as many veterans care homes despite having smaller veteran populations. Roswell is currently the only city in Georgia that has applied for the federal grant program.
How This Affects Real People: The facility would house 126 veterans full-time and provide care for physical and mental health needs including depression and post-service trauma. The project is expected to create up to 300 jobs in the area. The state of Georgia would operate the facility at no ongoing cost to Roswell residents.
The Path Forward: The fundraising campaign can now officially begin. Whether the project advances depends entirely on whether the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation can raise $35 million in private donations.
Mayor Mary Robichaux said the facility would represent a meaningful commitment to veterans. “Bringing 126 units of comprehensive veteran care to our community is exactly the kind of investment our service men and women have earned, and I am proud that Roswell is stepping up to lead the way,” she said.
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
