One year after launching a campaign to end veteran homelessness, Massachusetts’ Healey-Driscoll Administration celebrated the opening of the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The veterans community, located at 1660 Main St. in Tewksbury, is comprised of 21 brand-new, 100 percent affordable housing units for veterans and marks the first completed project supported by the End Veteran Homelessness (EVH) campaign.
The EVH campaign is a cross-collaborative initiative within the Healey-Driscoll Administration and federal, local and veteran-serving organizations that prioritizes supportive housing, access to behavioral health services, capital investments to support veteran housing, and provides technical assistance to community providers.
“This is what progress looks like,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “When we say we are ending veteran homelessness in Massachusetts, we mean it. Every unit here represents a life stabilized, a veteran housed, and a future restored. This is a great milestone and will make a real impact for the veterans who now call this community home.”
The new veterans community is named after Gordon H. Mansfield, a highly decorated Army veteran of two tours in Vietnam. While serving as company commander with the 101st Airborne Division during his second tour in Vietnam, he sustained a spinal cord injury during the Tet Offensive of 1968. For his actions, he was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest personal decoration for valor in combat.
A Pittsfield native, Mansfield served as assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1989 to 1993. He was later appointed to the position of deputy secretary of Veterans Affairs in November 2003 and served until January 2009.
The Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community was developed by Soldier On, a nonprofit that provides homeless veterans with transitional housing and supportive services. The nonprofit was the recipient of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Housing Outreach-to-Placement Effort (HOPE) campaign.
“For years, we’ve dreamed of expanding our model across the Commonwealth,” said Bruce Buckley, CEO of Soldier On. “Today, that dream becomes a reality here in Tewksbury. This is what partnership looks like—state agencies, banks, nonprofits and veterans all working together.”
The $9.2 million housing project includes 21 fully furnished units—18 one-bedrooms and three studios—each with internet, cable and all utilities included.
Of the 21 units, 12 are supported by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program vouchers.
In addition to the 12 HUD-VASH supported apartments, the remaining units are deed-restricted affordable, legally protected to ensure they remain accessible to veterans with limited incomes, no matter how the housing market changes. Residents also have access to a community room, an amenity space, and supportive services.
“This facility will be a game changer for the veterans who will live here. Not only will they have a safe, comfortable home, but they will also gain a community and easy access to the services and support they need,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “I congratulate Secretary Santiago, Secretary Augustus and Soldier On for their hard work to make this milestone possible.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony coincides with the one-year anniversary of the EVH campaign, a $20 million cross-agency initiative led by the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
The goal behind the campaign is to make Massachusetts a state where veteran homelessness rates reach a level of “functional zero,” a federal term meaning a system where homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. It involves ensuring that there are enough resources and support services available to quickly identify and assist individuals or families experiencing homelessness, ultimately leading to their swift placement into stable housing.
“No veteran should ever experience homelessness—not in Massachusetts or anywhere,” said Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago. “This campaign is designed to intervene early, offer strong case management and build housing that meets veterans where they are. Today, we celebrate the first of many ribbon cuttings to come.”
In its first year, the campaign has placed more than 200 veterans in permanent and transitional housing, enrolled over 500 veterans in our HOPE program and provided more than $500,000 in financial assistance to veteran families.
Veterans represent three percent of homeless individuals in Massachusetts. Currently, approximately 500-600 veterans are experiencing homelessness in the state, per the Point in Time (PIT) count.
“This is a great example of what happens when you align capital funding with wraparound care,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “We’re not just building units— we’re building a future where housing and dignity go hand in hand for every veteran.”
The ribbon cutting ceremony featured remarks from local and state leaders, including Senator Barry Finegold and Representative David Robertson, with a closing reflection from Shane Harrington, a resident of the new facility and employed by Soldier On.
"This new facility stands as a testament to our commitment to honor and support our veterans,” said Finegold. “Thanks to the leadership of SoldierOn and CEO Bruce Buckley, we are providing our heroes with the stability and dignity they deserve.”
The Healey-Driscoll Administration expects to add more than 330 veteran housing units to the pipeline for development in the coming year.
For more information about the End Veteran Homelessness Campaign or to support ongoing efforts, click here.